Faithful Destiny
by HammerTide
Summary: When a guard meets a priestess, it was nature for them to befriend each other and know each other. But struggles arose politically where War came from the other side and where dangerous syndicates came seeking for great power threatens to destroy them and their loved ones.
1. Day One

"My son,"

Deep within the frozen solid ice mountains of Icecrown. There on the frozen throne, the Lich King sat in a deep meditating like trance. Within his mind, he remembered the words his father once said to him long ago.

"The day you were born, the very forests of Lordaeron whispered the name... Arthas."

Waking up from his trance with blue glowing eyes, he got up from his throne and began walking off. For some time unknown he journeyed across the barren frozen wasteland. The icey cold wind blowing heavily which made his long black cape flow in the air. Eventually, he arrived at a certain spot. Kneeling down and wiping the snow away, he examined the frozen ice that served as the ground before standing back up.

"My child."

Moving his cape a little, he reached for the handle of his sword, the infamous Rune Sword, Frostmourne.

"I watched with pride as you grew into a weapon of righteousness."

With his sword fully drawn, he raised it to the air while snowflakes slowly dropped towards it.

"Remember, our line has always ruled with wisdom and strength."

When the snowflakes touched the blade of his sword, it's runes glowed with a blue aura as he readied his sword.

"And I know you will show restraint when exercising your great power."

Without wasting anytime, he stabbed his Runeblade deep into the ice ground. The blade's power surged into the ice, sending the snow that covered the ice ground away to reveal something buried within. Cracking the ice all around followed by an earthquake, something began to arise. As the Lich King stood up and looked out into a distance a skeletal dragon claw tore through the ground behind him. Slowly the skeletal remains of Sindragosa, the mighty frost wyrm queen herself, tore through her icy grave and stood up. Taking her first few steps to crawl out of her grave she stood high above a mountain edge, blue magical energy coursing all around within her. Looking around her and spreading her frozen skeletal wings wide, she took flight into the air. Hundreds of the Lich King's undead army of the scourge watched her in awe as she flew above them.

"But the truest victory, my son, is stirring the hearts of your people."

The mighty Sindragosa continued to fly into the air looking below at the army of the undead and gave out a chilling icy roar of terror. The undead below her soon followed her by sample and let out chilling yells of horror while blue magical energy glowing within them. The Lich King himself watched from atop of the mountain the countless glowing blue lights that showed his army of the undead. As he did this he continued to remember the last few words his father once told him

"I tell you this, for when my days have come to an end"

The Lich King looked upwards to the distance towards Sindragosa as his eyes glowed with a bright blue aura.

"You shall be King."

Unknown to the Lich King and his army of the Undead. Deep below underneath what was the frozen grave of Sindragosa. There was a frozen room, basically untouched by the outside world, there stood a large grouping of frozen ice, a being trapped inside. However with the magic of Frostmourne still coursing below, it infested into the wall that held the ice intact. Turning them a glowing blue color they shattered, and the being inside sank to the floor. Revealing a twisted dark and terrifying looking undead creature. He had unkempt shoulder-length black hair, his skin was gray and rotting, his muscles and bones were exposed, his jaws had larger more exposed and vicious-looking fanged teeth, and his fingers and toes were completely lacking skin leaving only bones to use like claws. Apparently lifeless, the Lich King's power infused into the creature. His slow, shallow, deep breaths were soon echoing through the room. With a sudden burst of life, the creature lifted his bone clawed hand up and slowly tried to get up on his knees. He took long deep breaths before opening his sinister blue glowing human eyes to look up to the frozen ceiling of the room. Letting out a piercing loud scream of terrifying horror and agony.

* * *

The growing threats of the unknown hurled throughout the city, the guards were kept busy as always as the dire needs of security have grown more than ever. As such the city of Stormwind increased its number of guards at a majority of its place of interests. Mostly the Stormwind Keep. All the guards prepared to what events may transpire along the way in the near future. The roads were kept busy, the farmers hoed down the land to produce for them, such as the miners hammered the rocks with their the steel crushing the rocks under its weight, determined to supply the growing needs of the city.

A man screamed down to a row of soldiers as the men of arms readied. Armed and hoisted itself up to his orders, and before long the commander left to rest himself to his tent. While his men put themselves to back breaking labor.

A tan colored skin human with hazel colored eyes, and short black hair with a matching designer stubble facial hair, stood guard close by. Standing to a height of Six foot two, relatively average for the human height. He was dressed in a standard issue Stormwind guard uniform with it's size matching his frame and without his helmet on. He had a fierce look to him that yet contradicts to his smile that was imprinted on to his lips.

"What are you smiling about Larkon?" The human heard someone call to him

He turned to see a fellow guard that stood just as tall as he is. "I'm being called to the post, Captain Jorden wanted me inside his tent, he says that I might like the new post that was assigned to me." Larkon answered his fellow friend and comrade at arms.

"That's what he says all the time before assigning us some kind of job that makes us look bad and general Moira all that special." The guard says with a loud sigh while taking a seat.

"Can't be that bad. After all he has to take orders from General Moira which is out of his hands"

"Oh yeah, he assigned me to the castle's molt. Close to the city's sewage dump. Any idea what that's like and how long it takes to get the smell of shit off of you?" The guard asked him.

Larkon just chuckled "Yeah, I can imagine."

His fellow comrade raised a question. "Hey Larkon, do you like how the General Moira is treating us?"

Larkon turned, somehow a bit surprised. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Like the things he had been doing to us, does it make you a bit…..unsatisfied?" He replied.

Larkon thought about it, though he had a point, but it mattered not to him now. It was his captain he owed for at least pulling him away from the slums of whence he came. Not the General. "I know, but at least the captain had given something, enough to sustain myself. I owed him to the extent."

"In other words you're okay with kissing his ass?" The guard asked.

"Kissing ass would not be the term, but rather grateful to the one who pulled me out from the streets. And in return I'm loyal to him, rightfully so." He snarled.

The guard shrugged "I guess you're right. When do you have to meet with the so called fearless leader captain?"

"I'm meeting with him when I finish my post and tomorrow I'll move to my post." He answered.

"By the way your gonna need to put your helmet on. For some reason they want all guards with helmets on and anyone without their helmet will be given five lashes as punishment. I guess they're trying to make sure we don't take an arrow to the head. After all, remember how Jonathan took an arrow to the knee last week?" The guard asked.

Larkon chuckled at his lie. "That's not what I heard in the reports, the punishment only would be to move to more 'grotesque' post. And for Jonathan, that was during a archery target practice session when he accidently took an arrow to the knee trying to show off infront of some pretty ladies who were watching at the time."

He grunted. "Your one of those who smiles a lot, not because of a funny joke but because you enjoy watching some people get hurt because of their stupidity of making an ass out of themselves, you know that right?"

"Yep. At here in the keep there's more to life than just surviving." Larkon answered with a smile.

The guard stood up. "Well I best be off back to the city's molt to get covered in shit again just for guarding the post. I'll leave you to your little whatever job captain hard ass has for you. Take care of yourself Larkon." He waved at him before walking off.

Larkon takes a look at him one last time before drifting his eyes back to his business and takes a look at the worn out clock. "Six PM." He muttered before standing up. "Perhaps I'll go now." He whispered to himself before taking his leave from the camp.

He locked his stare at his camp, and then shifting it to the streets. He thought about what he had said, perhaps was more to life than just being a guard and laughing with some friends. He pushed those thoughts on the back of his head and returned his attention back to his order, and finally moving his feet. It did not take him long to find his commanding officer's tent as he entered inside ready for his next orders. His captain, Jorden, wore the same Stormwind uniform as he did without his helmet on as well. He was a regular muscular fit human with brown eyes, chin length brown hair with a matching facial beard that both had traces of grey on them. The look of his eyes had the focus and look of a soldier who had rightfully earned his position as captain of his squadron. At the moment he seemed busy looking at a map seriously not even paying any attention to notice Larkon entering his tent.

"Um, you wanted to see me sir?" Larkon asked.

Jorden suddenly notices Larkon. "Oh there you are Larkon, I was just about to send someone for you."

He takes a couple of steps before responding to his captain. "I am here now sir, you summoned me because of a new post that you would assign to me?" He said.

"Ah yes the new post. Please have a seat I need you to be fully focused on what I will tell you because I won't repeat myself once more." He mentioned.

Larkon took a seat as he requested. The captain took a look back at the map once more before fully taking his attention to Larkon. "The royalties and nobles have been summoned to the palace for a special occasion: A royal banquet would be held there and all of the ones of High ranks have been invited." He said so seriously as he stood up. "Even the high priest of the Church of the Light will be there, and so will the Paladins and their Priest and Priestesses, so this would be a task that I would entrust you?" He stated to him very seriously.

Larkon nodded obediently as he accepted. "Yes sir." He said while he saluted to his commanding officer.

"Good, the banquet will be tomorrow. You will be given your assigned post tomorrow morning and I expect you to be there exactly on time. With that said you are dismissed." He nodded to Larkon and went back to looking at the map.

Larkon slowly backs off from the tent and went outside to return to his camp for the news. He took a deep breath and moved his feet towards the camp, it would only take him a little time to get there yet he went down back to the streets. The memories swirled inside his mind, though the city changed in structures but it was still all familiar to him.

Before he knew it he found himself back at camp close to his tent. He looked to see some of the men were already by the fire, some were laughing as the dwarves behind drowned themselves in ale. Though he usually joins them in the excitement and happiness, but this time….it didn't turn him on at all, it only made him disgusted to himself. "Is everything in my life would be just…...this?" He asked himself in the form of a whisper before proceeding to his tent, with his fellow footman he talked earlier was talking with a woman whose heart he had captured.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said before kissing her lips, and by then the woman smiled and left with a wave.

His friend noticed and walked over to him. "Sorry I was just saying by to the lovely woman that my heart belongs to. Please don't report me in." he begged.

"I'm not, how long have to you two been with each other?" Larkon asked curiously.

"Oh for a year at best, I've seriously thinking of asking her if she would love to be my wife but I haven't a clue how to do so." The soldier told Larkon as the two sat down on a nearby bench.

"Well, atleast you have a woman." He said as he lifted his feet up and landed his foot towards the bench as he tried to unstrap his armour. He noticed the frown of Larkon, and that it only made him smile as he suggested with some tricks of romance as he realized his envy.

"Oh come on you'll find one that you'll grow close with. The only hard part is the introduction but once that's done the rest is easy from there." The guard tells him.

"Hungh." He grunted and showed his back to him, annoyed.

"Those were my words when I thought it would be impossible but then it happened and yeah. And if can happen for someone like me of course it can happen to anyone including you sir. And perhaps we don't know yet even if you haven't tried, like who could the lucky woman be? Those dreamy purple skinned tall Night Elves, those blue eyed High Elves, or even the Space goats, uh I mean Draenei, or could it be just of the same race." The guard suggested

Larkon turned chuckled. "I don't think those six feet Night Elven women would be the one I am interested in, High Elves maybe….but..Draenei's?...Perhaps." He answered to his suggestion.

"You never know sir. It can happen at any moment just it did for me. All it takes is one look to know exactly you've found the right person for you." He mentions.

"Alright, alright, quit the fuss, I'll try when I see one, but, let's just get some rest for now it's already…" He takes a look at the old clock. "Nine PM, and still some of us are still getting drowned in wine, so it's best to get some sleep for our assignments for tomorrow." He said, takeing off the last of his spaulders and discarding it to the nearby trunk where all of his belongings were kept.

"Yeah and my shift begins now. Take it easy sir I'll see you when my shift ends in the morning." The guard says before walking off to his post.

He exhaled loudly before continuing to take his armor off. When he finished getting all his armor off he headed inside his tent, walked towards his matt, and dropped his head down to the soft cushion of his bed. "Yeah you do that." He sighed.

Time passed by as the birds chirps and the rooster wailed, signaling the morning light. A loud horn call from the camp along with the bumping the the wall made the brows of the sleeping Larkon narrow in discomfort.

"Time to get up, you will be assigned to your post today." A guard said.

He lifted the burden of his body and rubbed the morning eyes of his with his fingers, trying to adjust the rays that hit the pupils of his eyes. "I will ready myself." He said, before standing up and walking towards his trunk that contained his formal armor. Just as he was about to open the trunk, a hand was raised to block his way.

"You are not going to wear that dreadful armor no longer." He said before adding. "You will be wearing these." Another guard sloppily pulled a trunk towards the door.

It got the brows of Larkon raising. "What are they?" He asked.

The man smiled. "You'll see." He said before walking away without any other word.

He watched him leave before opening the trunk to see his new uniform. It was the same as his old one but more refined like, and more sturdy. He sighed to himself annoyingly, doing something that to him felt unecesarry. Such as wearing a new uniform that was almost no different than his old one except being newer, sturdier, and more refined. He could only guess it was because he was going to be in the palace and was expected to dress nice even if he was just going to stand guard.

Without wasting anymore time he quickly puts on his clothes and tucks them all under his new armor. Once dressed he puts his helmet on, sheathed his sword in the scabbard attached to his belt on his left hip, and proceeded to make his way to the castle.

Once he finished, he moved his arms and legs to test the armor. He sighed, the feeling was no different from any other, it only made him look like a fool with a shining armor, but in truth, he appeared to be of noble descent with his armor, save for the scars on his skin.

"Though, I don't like fancy stuff, but at least it functions just the same like the others." He said to himself before walking outside the tent where the two guards he had been talking to just earlier was waiting for him, but this time, Captain Jorden was with them.

"Ah, I see that it fits you well." The Captain greeted with a complement.

"Thank you sir." Larken greeted back as he stood ready.

Jorden nodded in respect to his formality as a soldier. A royal escort comes with a horse and a cart caught their attention. Soon the group saw one of the Generals of Stormwind, General Moira exit out of his tent. Their General, Moira, was easily recognized from his full suit of armor that was white in color but had gold trims to it. It eagle head crest pauldrons that featured feathers while holding a long flowing red cape, and a gold lion crest on the upper chest of his breastplate. He was an average light skin youthful looking human with curly blond hair and blue eyes. When Moria came out he looked at all of the men and towards Jorden.

"All preparations are in place sir." Captain Jorden tells his commander.

"They better, I don't think I need to remind you of how important this is to my career Captain." Moria reminded the Captain.

"Yes sir." Jorden agreed.

Moira put a smile onto his lips as his ride had come. "Ah, it is my time to leave." He said, but before he walks towards it, he turned one last time to the soon to be palace guard. "I tell you Jorden. If you or any of your men disappoint me, I'll see to it that it won't go unpunished." He threatened, into which it did infact frightened the soldiers for a bit, as he was used to the threats of their commander. Never once he mentioned their captain's name during all those times. It was indeed different.

"Ouch, he actually mentioned his name." One guard mentions to Larkon.

Larkon exhaled through his nose with sorrowful look underneath his face concealing helmet. "I see that I won't indeed disappoint General Moira." He said before shifting his eyes towards his fellow soldiers and back to Moira

He stared at General as the Moira walked towards the cart and entered. Before long the sound a whip contacting the skin of a horse was heard signaling the hooves of the horse to move towards the palace.

"I got a feeling it's going to be a long, long night." Larkon groaned as he started walking towards the Keep.

Captain Jorden gently stopped Larkon for a moment and looked at him with a serious look. "I want you to keep a special eye out. I don't know but ever since what's all been happening recently I got serious feelings in my gut that something may not be right tonight. Stay at your posts. Keep a sharp eye out, and do as you're told. Because believe me kid, this is the worst kind of job for a guard because one screw up and you're done for." Jorden said seriously to him before giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder and walking off.

Larkon watched his captain walk off, it wasn't everyday the Captain showed concern but when he did it really meant something. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Larkon began his walk to the keep. He walked for about some time as he was halfway to the Stormwind Palace, that was close to the church just beside it for a five minute walk. When he arrived he could tell its must be a big banquet they were planning as he saw several chariots carrying important members towards the palace. At some point he decided he might as well take another direction so he wouldn't get in their way. As he grew closer to the keep he noticed something strange closeby. He looked behind him to see some kind of hooded robed figured apparently following him. He wasn't sure how long he had been doing this but Larkon felt something off from this figure, like he was being watched or something he wasn't quite sure. So when he stopped, he turned around to see the figure had vanished.

Odd he thought, one would not simply vanish before him, but maybe it was just his imagination that was playing tricks on him because of the nervous feeling he felt in his chest. Like as if a rope caught his lungs and began constricting it. He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly and went on towards his post. Unknown to him, the robed figure was keeping watch of him above the roof of a building, watching his slow progress to the castle.

He entered the the palace by the front gate, and for the first time in his life he finally entered the place. Though he saw the palace from the distance, he never thought once that he could enter it. The palace was enormous, it's transparent mirrors surrounding the roof glowed as the rays of its light contacted with it. A giant chandelier hung well from above, as the crystals of its decoration illuminated the palace by the rays of its candles. A giant table rested in the middle of the palace as the throne of the mighty King of Stormwind rested in front of it. The walls of white ceramic marble was so smooth, as smooth as silk as he touched the the edges of it. He was amazed to the extent of gazing endlessly to it's beauty, but his day dreaming came to an abrupt end when a loud voice interrupted him.

"Hey stop gazing and start working." A palace guard beside him stated.

"Sorry." He quickly apologized and moved to his post to stand guard. He still could not help that he was still being watched by the hooded robed figure. As he either somehow entered into the palace or was observing him outside.

His thoughts were brought back into reality when one of the palace servants was announcing the names of all the special guests who were now arriving and entering the Keep. The guards kept their body straight, and their hands on their sheaths as they waited for the palace gates to open.

"Welcome Our Guests of the King of Stormwind Varian Wyrnn and the Crown Prince of Stormwind Anduin Wyrnn!" A royal servant began. "Ladies and Gentlemen, let us welcome Tiron Fordring! Jaina Proudmoore! And Our High Priest and Paladin Grayson Shadowbreaker and his right hand Paladin Tera! " He announced their names one by one as the palace guards, butlers, servants, nobles who were already inside erupted in cheers.

Larkon and the rest of the guards cheered and clapped for each special guest that arrived. Though Larkon deep down was somewhat bored in a way. Nevertheless he had high respect for most of these special guests and the accomplishments and sacrifices they have made in the name of the Light.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let us also welcome Knight Commander Alexia Ironknife! Lord General Farius Cowley and his son Paladin Jalven Cowley! Mistress Serena Archangel! Lord Paladin Joven and his daughter Priestess Alura!" The announcer said next.

Like the other guests, everyone applauded and cheered for them as they entered. Yet Larkon only stood straight, his head held high with his hand on the sheathe of his sword, not breaking the formality of his composure. His eyes darted one by one as the guests walked past in front of him. He observe every detail of them, from the color of their hair to the ends of of their sleeves. Especially General Moira who was greeting them one by one.

One such guest that allot of people were in awe of was Lord Paladin Joven. The Draenei famous for being one of the heroes who helped slayed the Lich King Arthas years ago, and one of the very few survivors of the massacre of the Draenei on Draenor Thirty five years ago along with Vindicator Maraad.

He was slim yet very muscular Draenei with pale blue skin, luminescent blue glowing eyes, no facial tendrils, and had two fairly small horns on his fan-like forehead plate. He had long snow-white hair that was tied in a long ponytail, while two locks of his hair fell loose framing his face. He wore a set of Paladin Holy Warrior Plate Armor. Including the chestplate, shoulderplates, wristguards, gauntlets, legplates, and greatboots of the Holy Warrior. Over this he wore a Tabard of the Lightbringer, the girdle of the Holy Warrior wrapped around his waist, and a cloak that matched his tabard wrapped around his neck.

"Welcome Lord Paladin Joven, on behalf of Stormwind we are honored to have you here as our guest." One of the castle's servants greeted Jovan.

Joven remained calmly quiet but shooks hands regardless with a calm emotionless look on his face. Standing with him was his daughter Priestess Alura of whom Larkon was unlucky enough not to see her personally due to the many castle servants in front him.

He followed queue when the horns of the guards were blown, and the sounds were filling the atmosphere. One of the more high ranking servants approached the guests and bowed before them, muttering some words whom he did not hear. The servant turned around and announced.

"I present to you the Royal banquet of our generous King Varian Wyrnn." He said.

The guests proceeded to greet one another as the banquet began. Larkon narrowed his eyes as Moira proceeded with them. He was indeed trying not to disappoint him, no laughs, no cheers, no claps, just pure formality.

"Proceed to the gates of the entrance to the garden." A voice spoke to him. He turned around to see a palace guard with a pole axe standing beside him, with his hand gripping it.

Larkon nodded and asked. "Which way should I go?"

The guard turned to a smaller gate which was just a little bit beside the table banquet. "It's just on the side of the table over there." He instructed.

Larkon nodded and proceeded to make his way over to where he was instructed to go. Once he got halfway there he heard the servants blow the horns again to the signal the approach of the king himself.

"Most honored ladies and gentlemen. I present to you His Majesty Varian Wrynn, the King of Stormwind and his Royal Highness Anduin Wrynn, Prince of Stormwind." The main servant announced.

Looking over towards the large stairway, King Varian Wrynn and his son Prince Anduin Wrynn walked down. Once their presences were seen, everyone in the room applauded and cheered for them. From the looks of Prince Anduin he still appeared to be recovering from his injuries as evident with a sling around his arm and a bandage wrapped around his forehead.

* * *

They all sat down as the King Varian announced, but rather than joining with them, Alura proceeded to walk away, to at least explore the vestiges of the castle. She took a quick look towards her father who king Varian himself personally walked over to and gave him a brotherly hug as if he was greeting a close best friend of his.

Alura used this opportunity to walk away and began her sight seeing around her castle. Her glowing blue eyes hovered as she gazed the chandelier above. Becoming amazed by the beauty of it. She was used to this kind of models of buildings, as the church beside the palace where she spend her time as a priestess was similarly built like it. Nevertheless she was amazed.

She was so hypnotised of the ceramic marbles of the walls that she didn't see the large frame of a human clad with armor, conversing with a noble that was draped in a green robe. She didn't stop her tracks till she accidently bump into him.

Moira turned around, somewhat angered by the recklessness of whom who bumped into him, but it all waned when he saw her.

"Oh evening Priestess Alura what brings you to my presence?" He asked with a smile.

"Oh uh, I apologize for recklessly bumping into you and don't mind me I was just...exploring that's all."

"Not with your father Lord Paladin Joven?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I do not have the trait of the nobles, so It would be best just to stay away from such travesties." Alura replied, avoiding the gaze that Moira imprinted onto his eyes.

"But my dear lady most people would kill for the honor that you have. As most would do the same for me. For example, allow me to introduce myself, I am General Moira Charlton, the Son of General Elfred Charlton, and the descendant of the great Aristocratic warrior Wallach Charlton. I am also the proud commander among the campaigns during the incident of the Cataclysm, and it was by my hand that were able to push back the savage hordes of cultist in the Grim Batol and allow us to live in decent times with less barbarians in it." He said with pride

"Is it not the hand of the warriors who died in the forsaken cave who helped, that allow us to live in decent times?" Alura pointed out. Her white brows was a bit narrowed to his words.

"Oh yes but that is not the point I am trying to get to. My point fine maiden is that most would kill for the honor and privileges we both have. You being the daughter of one of the mighty heroes who stopped the Lich King Arthas. And me, being one of the Generals whose strategic and brilliant mind put an end to the hordes of cultist in the Grim Batol." He comments with a smirk on his face, as if very proud of himself.

Alura chuckled to his words. "Perhaps people would want to kill for food in their mouths rather than the honors Generals and others today receive. Perhaps your titles and honor bare no significance when warriors put their lives to save us while we who are the sons and daughters of honorable men and women hide behind a tent." She said, before adding. "Perhaps this conversation should be put to an end until we learn to put our pride down." She walked past him.

He suddenly stopped her by grabbing her left arm with a little force to it. "Incase my words did not reach you. I did not hide behind no tent when I lead the siege to purge those savages. And…"

Before he could continue, her father Joven showed up looking at them both with his usual calm look.

"Oh Lord Joven my apologies I was just giving priestess Alura a small history of my success back in Grim Batol. Though she seemed to take it the wrong way…" he said quickly and let go of her arm.

Joven didn't say anything just stared at him with an emotionless yet calm look.

"Um I will be right back I need to attend to some other guests. When I return I need to discuss with you on matter regarding the recent events regarding the Dark Portal." Moira said before walking off.

Joven watched him walk off before looking back at Alura. "You did not wish to sit with us?" He asked her calmly.

She shook her head, and replied calmly yet felt tension in her words. "I would like to see more than eat with you and the nobles" She said.

"I wasn't hungry much. Just wanted to see some old friends." He said calmly.

"You can't find old friends in your daughter." She said before walking away elegantly.

He softly and very gently stopped her with a soft touch of his right hand on her shoulder. "Was that man bothering you?" He asked calmly.

"No, he did not. I accidentally bumped into him and we exchanged words. Now please, let go so I may sightsee." She replied

Joven calmly noded and lets her shoulder go. "Don't wander off too far please." He requested gently.

Alura places a hand around her wrist and rubs it softly. "A palace is small enough not to get lost." She said before walking away.

He watched her leave and sighed softly before walking off. He whispered "Be very careful," to himself.

Larkon put his attention back to his post as a guard, but he was anxiously looking back to the Draenei who was walking towards his direction. His eyes studied her form as he looked at her.

She was an incredibly and exotic beautiful young Draenei woman with a beautiful face, pale blue skin, luminescent blue glowing eyes, and slender arms. She had long pure snow-white hair that reached down to her waist. Along with beautiful horns that curved along her head, making them look like an elegant headdress even compared to the rest of her kind. Her snow-white hair beautifully matched both her pale blue skin and her horns as she elegantly stood before him. She was a bit short for her race, perhaps half a head shorter than him, yet it only serves to beautify her even more with her extremely gratifying figure. As the curves of her body caught his eye, her firm perky and remarkably large breasts looked so perfect as it matched the curves of her slim waist as it trailed to the beautiful curves of her child bearing hips and plump rear.

She wore a long silver robe with the sleeves of her robe ending at her wrists, the lower portion being parted at the sides, and a gold lining running across the edges. Underneath her robe she wore a light pink legging for both her legs that also had gold lining running across the edges. Over her robe she wore a beautiful light pink vest with gold lining running across the edges, and a beautiful light blue sash wrapped around her waist. Finally she wore a pretty silver pendent necklace around her neck.

He dared to approach her, step by step as he swallowed the nervousness in his voice, but just as he greeted, his voice also greets with her. "My lady, welcome to the palace, may you give the time to have a conversation with a mere guard?" He greeted as he formally bowed.

"It's bold for you, a guard inside the palace to greet one's guests. Don't you think?" She stated, her eyes shifted above to match the level of his eyes as it seemed he was taller than her by half a head. But she was indeed slightly short for her race .

The man opened his mouth to say a reply. "Does it offend you that a mere guard would greet and talk to you my lady?"

She shook her head and smiled at him. "No, It does not, I'm just a bit surprised and relieved at least to the extent, as everyone here that I have took time to listen to would just brag about their achievements and wealth. I'm just glad one would give a pleasant conversation, after all I'm just a mere priestess as of to you for a mere footman." She replied, letting whatever misunderstanding between them fly away from the window.

"Ah I see, and to think that I have thought of you shunning me away." He said making the priestess raise her brow to his statement.

"What makes you think I would shun you away from the conversation?" She asked, raising her white brows, confused of his statement on to why would he consider such.

"I saw that you shun away the General, General Moira is indeed a very imposing man, that's why I received the Idea of you shunning me away as it compares I'm just a palace guard." He answered.

"I give my attention to those who who give a pleasant and humble conversation, not a braggart whose pride is bigger than his head." She chuckled as she put her finger tips on the front of her lips.

"Oh I see. I also saw your father come in, you didn't want to sit with him or the other guests?" He asked.

"He had plenty of opportunities in the past to sit with me, but he did not take it, now that I no longer desire to seat with him, he want's to sit with me. So it is a bit of a paradox between us. A short and burly dwarf would give more attention to me like a father than him to me as a real father." She replied, her voice bringing in tension to the mention of him.

"Wow, I didn't think Lord Paladin Joven was like that. But I'm sure he was just very busy." Larkon suggested.

She acknowledged his concern between him and her, yet she trumps down his excuse for his father. "His title as a high a ranking Paladin is more of a nuisance than a helping hand of my extent." She stated before quickly adding. "But come now, let's put it aside, I want to explore more of the palace, and it would please me if you would be the one to help me do that." She said.

He almost choked when he heard those words."Oh okay um, where would you want to see first my lady?" He asked slightly nervous.

"The garden in front of us would not be obvious?" She says sarcastically.

"Oh okay, um just follow me Priestess Alura." He asked nervously and escorted her towards outside towards the garden. "So, is this your first time here at the Stormwind Palace Keep?"

"It is." She answered softly. "And I see none who could match its beauty, and I've seen a fair share of beautiful structures, like the church where I spend my time as a priestess. Yet it feels short compared to this. It is quite…...hypnotizing."

"Well I'm glad you are enjoying your stay so far." He smiled underneath his helmet.

She smiled and looked at him. "I may have not enjoyed my stay in the palace had I not met you…." She mumbled.

"Huh, oh um, I'm happy to help, so how do you like the view of the garden?" he asked next.

She gazed on to the flowers and smiled. "It's very beautiful, I see that the servants have cared for it very much. People no longer desire such activities anymore, but nonetheless I enjoy still seeing that some still consider keeping the activities alive." She answered. She then turned her attention to him, who was also gazing down the roses. "What is your name?" She asked softly with a smile, as her hands intertwined and rests on to her stomach.

"Uh, oh I'm just a nobody normal guard. In fact this is my first time guard posting in the castle." He answered nervously.

"Well, I want to know the name of a self proclaimed nobody. Who is also visiting the palace for a first time. So please, take off your helmet and tell me your name, you do know it is disrespectful to deny a maiden?" She chuckled.

"Perhaps, you are right its just its standard protocol for soldiers to keep their helmets on at all times. Removal of the helmet without permission or order from a higher up usually results in being stationed to guard grotesque parts of the cities such as the sewers." He answered a little more nervous.

She smiled. "Well, a man who values his oath is commendable, but would you not give an exception to a priestess?" She asked.

He looked in all directions to make sure no one else was looking. With a sigh he took his helmet off to show his face to her while smiling nervously. "Hi, my name is Larkon."

She nodded and looks up at him as she offered her left hand for a handshake. "Hello Larkon, My name is Priestess Alura." She said, before asking another question regarding his name. "But, I wonder, do you not have a second name? I see that humans have indeed a second name." She stated.

Larkon placed his helmet back on quickly since he didn't want to get in possible trouble with disobeying regulations. "Well my lady I do not have one." He answered truthfully.

"Oh." She sighed. "Why would it be?" She then asked.

"I grew up in the life of an orphan never knowing who my real parents were. So I have no second name."

Her lips curled into a frown as she heard this. "Oh….how tragic." She commented with a little sadness in her tone.

"It is alright my lady. I am fine and well with my life. I was brought into the guard by my captain Jorden. He's a hard ass and is very rough on us but I know he always means well. So um, where do you wish to see next?" He asked.

She smiled. "How it brightens my day to know that, who endured a tragic life yet is still happy in the end." She said, before commenting. "But I must warn you with your language Larkon, it would not please any ladies that would come about in the near future." She chuckled.

"Oh I am deeply sorry my lady it's just that's the nickname we give him. But I wouldn't say my life is that tragic compared to others I know who have suffered more if not worse than I have." He mentioned as he started escorting her to another location of the castle.

"I see." She said, before looking at him as they walked down the halls of the castle. "I would like to see you more Larkon, I enjoyed this conversation and activity very much, and it would please me to do this more often." She said, stopping his tracks.

"Really my lady?" He asked a little dumbfounded as if he was surprised to hear that.

She nodded. "Yes, I would, I stay down inside the church beside the palace just a few walks from here, perhaps you could give some time to meet my presence?" She answered.

He tried to contain the joy he held in his heart "Well...I have been needing to find time to visit the church more since I'm in need of some spirituality so indeed I do think I can find time in my schedule for that my lady."

"Then the church would be the best place for us to meet. I would-" She heard the call of the horns as the banquet had move to another stage to it.

"Looks like dinner is being served. I will leave you to enjoy your meal, I need to return to my post before one of my higher ups throws a fit and makes me stand watch at the sewers. Until then I will see you at the church my lady." He bowed his head to her in respect.

"Goodbye Palace guard Larkon, I expect to see you in the church in the near future." She said before waving her good byes. "Farewell." She then walked away.

He sighed in relief as he started making his way back to his post. As he got there, he saw General Moira waiting for him with his arms crossed.

His eyes widened as he saw the gleaming anger of the general. "Oh, General Moira, I thought you were joining in with the banquet..." He said, trying to make an excuse.

"I will be in a moment. In the meantime I need to ask you a little question and then I need you to go do something." He said in a calm manner.

He nodded nervously. "Yes general." He replied and he walked towards him.

"First off, who gave you permission to leave your post soldier?" He asked seriously.

"Uhm...Priestess Alura requested that I escort her in the palace sir, I tried to say that it was not of my power to leave my post, but she insisted sir, and I had no choice." He answered as he held his head down to avoid his stare that dug holes onto his skin.

"You did have a choice, you chose to leave your post instead of staying put. But I don't know you and you seem new, so I'm going to let it slide because at the moment I have a bit of an issue I want you to take care of." Moira tells him.

"Yes General sir." He responded with formality as he placed his hand on his sheathe with a straight composure.

"There's been some reports that some guards haven't reported back from the castle's library. I've sent some men down to check out why but they haven't reported back. I do not want a scene or incident occurring while the king and his guests are enjoying themselves. So I want you to go down to the library and find out why and if there's something going on I want you to take care of it quietly. You do not want the king's banquet to be ruined in front of his guests because I promise you it will not look good for me and if it does not look good for me then that means it will seriously not look good for you as I will personally see to that. Are we clear soldier?" Moira stated and asked very seriously.

Larkon saluted and answered. "Yes sir."

Moira waved him off. "Then get going. Now." he ordered before walking off and purposely bumping his shoulder against his.

He rubbed the spaulder of his shoulder, looking back at the young General with narrowed eyes of annoyance and relief at least that he gave. "Alright." He whispered to himself before moving on to continue with his orders.


	2. A Portent of things to come

Larkon made his way towards the library, he had first needed to pass down the halls were the banquet was held. While taking an opportunity to glance at Alura who had sat down beside her father, while he was conversing with some nobles and generals about some problems before proceeding to the room where to go down the long dark stairs towards the Castle's Library. This was the place Prince Anduin spent most of his time at. So the King usually had allot of guards stationed here. Yet it was strange to not see any guards anywhere.

"Strange." He commented, narrowing his brow. He brought his guard up, his hand on his sheathe, sensing something was wrong. He slowly treked inside, his instincts telling him to get out of that place, but he held strong and proceed cautiously, not wanting to back down and wanting to complete his orders.

Slowly he walked down the different sections of the long endless bookshelves. Seeing no one around or anything that is out of the ordinary. However one thing was indeed out of the ordinary as there were no guards to be seen. He didn't understand why the place was so empty, this was supposed to be one of the most heavily guarded areas in the castle. He also noticed the room was a lot darker than normal. He guessed it was because they were getting ready to turn in for the night and keep the light torches from spreading to the books on accident. Yet there was always guards close to that and they didn't put out the torches around this time.

It was like the more he moved down the more nervous he became. He didn't understand why he had been in a good number of battles during his time in the guard. He was no push over by a longshot. Yet why did he feel so nervous with such a chill creeping down his spine? His thoughts were interrupted when he saw a shadow displaying across one section of book cases. A shadow that did not look like a guard's.

Ever silently he sneaked his way towards the section, hand holding his sword's grip tightly as he braced himself for whatever. Counting to three while taking deep breaths, he rushed to the section and drew his sword in ready.

To his amazing surprised, it was the same robed figure who he suspected was following him earlier. Just standing there reading a book or something. The figured apparently either did not know he was there or was too busy to care that he was there. As evident of him still reading the book in his hand.

He began to sweat heavily, the robe figure looked so frightening as he read and mumbled the words of the book, as his head was covered by the hood, its movements so unnatural. Larkon didn't moved as he was frozen in fear, his mind began to cloud his mind and his heart beats so rapidly, as his breath grew heavier as he observed him, and all the action he could to was to move his feet a step back. A very big mistake as the figure finally looked towards him. Thinking quick, Larkon dashed towards him but only to be blinded for a moment when the figure threw his own hooded robe at him. Before he could do anything he felt a hard kick to his stomach that sent him to the ground.

Larkon coughed hard as he felt the air get kicked out of his lungs as he tried standing up. He looked for the figure underneath the robe but only to see he had vanished.

"Yo know yo Alliance folks have the sorrest hondwriting a ever laid mah eyes on. Ah mean how con aneh of yo read this chicken scrotch it's like someone wiped his own ass on it these pieces of papeh and called it hondwriting." He heard a voice from above.

Larkon looked up to see a Rogue figure sitting on top of the book shelf. From what he can tell he was a slim Ghostly blue troll of average height with a lithe and graceful body and long, elegant hands. He had red irises but his most noticeable feature was his rather small or squashed-in nose and small tusks. Evident by how they didn't stick out of his mask like other male trolls. He wore a black cloth trousers and short sleeve tunic shirt. All tucked under his light stitched leather armor chestguard, bracers, gloves, and greaves. Integrated in the armor is a leather hood, which had slightly slit cuts to provide room his long pointed ears. He wore a black fabric cloth scarf wrapped over the lower half of his face, leaving only his eyes visible. He had many straps and buckles of belts running down the chest and across the waist to hold various pockets. His cloak hangs calf high and is tattered while his gloves have his fingers exposed in order to allow his nimble hands to operate without the hindrance of armor or cloth.

"Damn." He rolled as he tried to stand up.

"Crappeh, Crappeh, and more Crappeh. Suckah this is dumb." He closed the book and tossed it at Larkon to hit him on the head with the book.

Larkon regained his senses and stood up, he stared up at the troll and tried to pick his sword up, sizing up this new problem of his. Though significantly taller, he was only slightly bigger in size due to his light frame compared to his heavier stature. He readied his sword, and rolls his shoulders to hear his bones crack in place.

"What are you doing here?" Larkon asked.

The troll simply grabbed another book and started flipping through its pages. "Just trying toh find meh some books."

"I said, what are you doing here?" Larkon asked once again, this time anger can be heard in his tone as his confidence grew. Without his hooded robe he looks beatable

"And ah said just trying toh find meh some books." The troll answered back in a playful mocking tone.

"How did you get in here? A troll like you should have been executed by now." Larkon said menacingly as he approached the troll, trying to reach him from above the book shelf as he sat there seemingly relaxing.

The troll tossed the book at Larkon to hit him on the head again before picking another one and flip through its pages.

"Yo leadin meh toh the castle and years of experience of sneaken in toh guarded castles." He answered while flipping through the pages.

"It ain't the answer I was looking for." Larkon said as he followed up by tossing his sword towards the troll, intending to kill him right there instantly.

Without so much as looking away from the book or stop flipping through the pages, the troll easily dodged his sword throw. "It dah truth suckah, and yo toh slow mon."

Larkon sneered. "I don't give a damn if it's the truth or not, where are the guards?!" He asked angrily.

The troll simply pointed to the next door book shelf section. When Larkon walked over he saw all the guards laying there on the floor in pain or knocked.

"I can't feel my legs." One groaned.

"I think my arm is broken." Another groaned.

"That was cheap you dirty ugly loud mouth talking troll prick." Another moaned.

The troll tossed the book at the the guard to knock him out and shut him.

"Quit ther mon else I'm gon kick yo ass again." He said as he grabbed another book and flipped through its pages again.

Larkon took the opportunity of the distracted troll reading and charged and push down the shelf he was sitting in to and took the troll by surprise. To his luck, it took Larkon a few moments to push down the shelf completely and was able to regain his composure.

"Oh shit mon." the troll groaned as the book shelf he was sitting on started tumbling down and cause a domino effect to make all the others collapse on each other. The troll landed to the floor and stood up and dusted himself off. "Nah look at what yo done now mon. Yo messed the whole library up."

Larkon grabed his sword and got in a fighting stance. The troll saw this and sighed as he drew two serrated daggers from his hips. "Foine, let's donce mon."

"Gladly." Larkon smirked in anticipation as he picked up a book with his free hand and charged at him with it. The troll tried to retaliate but Larkon threw the book onto his line of sight. Larkon swings his sword down to the head of the troll but the troll was quick enough to dodge his attack and back flip kick Larkon hard in the face. Luckily he was wearing his helmet as the kick was powerful enough to knock it flying off.

"And Ah thought I was ugly." The troll joked.

"Son of a…" Larkon growled and charged forward with another swing. The troll easily blocked the attack and thanks to the serrations of his knives, was able to lock Larkon's blade in place. Before Larkon could try and yank his sword away. The troll suddenly let his knives go and sweeps him off by his feet to knock Larkon off his feet while catching his knife in the air with his hands just as he got back up.

Larkon got back up to his feet and slashed towards him again. In which case the troll dodged his slash and started performing a series of black flips to get away from Larkon as Larkon chased after. Suddenly he did a front flip over Larkon and made Larkon ram into the wall on accident.

Larkon shook his head and regains his composure as the troll mocked him with a laugh. He sneered and hope that he would do another back flip.

"Come on mon all I want is some books from here."

Larkon charged once more and the troll smirked as he was ready to perform another backflip. He bend his legs and went into the air but to his surprise Larkon stopped his charge and was able to catch the troll by his shoulder and throw him to the wall.

"You slippery jumpy little bastard your ass is mine now!" Larkon growled angrily.

The troll landed on to the wall and shook his head, smiling underneath his mask. "Oh, yo strong mon, this would beh a great dance. And hey mon I had a mother and father so no need for name callen."

Larkon charged once more and held his sword by his his hand, but the troll bended his legs once more. Expecting to back flip, he stopped but the troll didn't back flip as he hovered on to the air and using the stopping motion of Larkon to land behind his back.

The troll reached and wrapped around his arm around his neck while his other arm grabbed the hand in which Larkon held his sword. The rouge tried to choke him, while Larkon thrashed trying to free himself. The sweat of his skin made an opportunity for him as he began to slip down from his hold, and once his mouth came in contact with the blue skin of his, he opened his mouth and bit down…..hard.

"Owagh mon that'd be cheating." The troll let go and was met with a fist that came in contact with with his face.

Larkon stood back up and cracked his knuckles through his metal gauntlets and made his way over to the troll. Without seeing it coming, the troll threw a smoke bomb in Larkon's face and disappeared while Larkon coughed roughly and was blinded by the smoke.

"Sorry mon ah can't dance with ye much. Got to go fulfill me clint's request." He told Larkon in the darkness while Larkon still coughed hard from the smoke and tried regaining his vision.

Larkon look up to see the troll climbing up, using his reflexes as a rogue to maneuver himself to the vent on top of the roof and escape completely.

He looked back to see the shelves and the room in a mess. Tired, he rested his back on the wall as he sat down on the floor, breathing heavily.

* * *

Alura sat at the large food table as everyone was enjoying their meal and chatting among themselves. She looked over to her father to see what he was doing. He just sat there calmly as always eating his meal slower than anyone in the table. He was also very quiet as he didn't eye anyone or said or spoke to anyone. Only gently nodding his head every now and then when someone called his name or asked him something. She just sighed and continued eating her meal while still deep at thought of the conversation she had with Larkon.

"So did you see anything interesting in the palace?" She suddenly heard her father ask.

She turned her attention to him. "Only one thing was interesting in the palace." She replied, her tone didn't harbored any emotion as she puts her attention back to the plate.

"Like what?" He asked softly but still sounded emotionless.

"I met someone, he was kind enough to escort me in the palace, kindly giving a pleasant conversation that made this trip worthwhile." She said, then putting a slice of meat in her mouth that was plunged in the fork.

"But you're only a couple of feet away from the palace. You can come here whenever you want you know. The king doesn't mind he's a great soul, him and his boy." He told her softly.

"I did not desire to be here, I only had come here because you said so and the High Priest suggested so to me." She answered, finally the tensed tone was beginning to show. Showing no interest to continue further.

"Alura, I know it's not been easy for you but please. I asked you to come because I wanted to spend some lost time with you." He finally looked at her and patted her on the back gently.

She sighed and looks at him with a narrow brow and spoke the words that broke his heart. "Perhaps it's safe to say that it is a little bit too late." She stated before taking her attention back to her food.

"Alura?" He asked softly. His brow narrowing in concern, as her words struck his heart deeply like a hammer to a rock. Above else his daughter personally said it at the moment where he hoped to rekindle with her.

She didn't reply at first as she finished her meal. "What?" She asked.

He sighed softly and looked back to his unfinished meal. "Nothing."

She sighed, relieved and yet there was a hint of regret she felt as she said those words. Her ears twitched as she heard a little sound coming from the palace down below, like a loud yet faint thud. She looked around, trying to see if the others heard it also.

"You okay?" Joven asked in concern.

"I'm fine just thought I heard something." She sat back down and softly siped her drink.

"Pardon me Lord Joven but we must ask. How was it you and the other heroes were able to defeat Arthas the Lich King?" One noble asked.

"Yes how were you able to put that traitor down for good?" Moira asked.

Joven looked at everyone turning their attention to him. He simply just kept staring at his unfinished meal and sighed. "I don't want to talk about it much. It maybe that I didn't desire to slay Arthas, he was no traitor General Moira." He looked at him, before back to everyone else. "The sword Frostmourne controlled him and twisted him. And from what I have heard before he turned to a death knight, he was a good man, willing to sacrifice himself for the good of the many." He said.

"And you believe this despite all the atrocities he committed?" Another noble asked him.

Paladin Joven looked at the man. "There's a difference from hearing it, and being there personally." He answered.

"Everyone let us leave the subject alone. I know Joven personally and if he believes such a thing then so do I. At the moment I'm more concerned of the events that occurred within the Dark Portal." King Varian suggested.

"I heard that there was a 'faint' of magic in the Dark Portal that might concern us? Or should it just be the wizards delusions?" Moira said as he sips a glass of wine.

"We do not fully know yet of the reports that we heard from the mages on the Dark Portal, though they say that the portal is indeed open to pass through Draenor, they also have said that a 'new gate' might appear in the future, it might be enough to concern us." King Varian answered.

"And may I ask why are we letting the Horde get involved since that brute Thrall is likely to make things worse or change the situation to suit his benefits." Moira asked.

"Draenor is the ancient homeland of the Orcs and and my people the Draeneis, it would sure enough, the history of it would prove be also enough for the Horde to be part of the event. Perhaps you may not like it General Moira, but it would be our option." Paladin Joven answered his question.

"I know Paladin Joven but we were at one time at war with the Horde. I just don't feel comfortable bringing them into this and expecting them not to let old hatreds go when there could be a strong possibility for revenge for them." Moira reasoned.

"I understand your concern General Moira, but the old hatreds must be cast aside for us to succeed, the Draeneis had already forgiven them as they paid their sins in blood. Just like King Varian whose hatred of the Orcs waned down when they aided and stood united in the Battle of Mount Hyjal against the threat of the Burning Legion." Joven reasoned as well.

"Both of you two make good points. But at the moment we must hope that no issue will arise from the current choices we have made and put our faith in both the Light and trust we have in those choices." Varian answered.

Alura sighed as she rubbed her face, not really wanting to be in one of the political arguments that most nobles get themselves into.

* * *

Larkon soon entered the table without his helmet on and walked up to Moira. He whispered to his ear. "We've got a serious problem General."

Moira stood up and whispered to him to stand a distance from the table. "What would it be?" Moira asked with a little bit of annoyance to his tone.

"It's best if you come see for yourself sir." Larkon answered quietly.

Moira stared at him with a frustrated look for a small moment before turning towards everyone at the table with his usual calm look. "Will you all excuse me for a moment please?" He said before leaving with Larkon to go check whatever he was talking about.

Alura stared at them, looking curiously at both the general and Larkon. He whispered something to his commander before trekking down to the halls on the side of the table. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at them, and to her curiosity she intended to follow them. She stood up and excused herself to attend some errand.

"May I excuse myself, I must go now and attend some important errands." She said, before walking down the halls.

Larkon lead the young general down towards the still dark halls of the stairway leading to the Castle's Library. The entire time he felt a serious chill down his spine and his body shaking secretly as he knew Moira was giving him a death glare for interrupting him in the middle of the banquet. The silence was soon put to an end when he suddenly heard the cold and harsh tone of the general's obviously annoyed and angered voice.

"This had better be good soldier or I swear to you, you will…" he stopped in mid-sentence when they arrived and his eyes shot wide open at the ruined library in front of him.

Larkon kept a calm look to his face but deep down he felt his heart stop several beats. The library which was one of the castle's most treasured places was completely ruined with books everywhere and the giant shelves on the floor. Making matters even worse, all the guards that were supposed to be guarding the area were laying on the ground being attended by the healers. Who tried to heal and clean their terrible painful injuries the Rogue intruder inflicted on them. All and all, the entire library room look like an absolute disaster so terrible Moira just stood there with absolute surprise and horror of what this meant for him.

"What the...ha...wha…how?" Moira tried but found he was unable to speak words as he was too stunned at what was being seen before him.

"A renegade rogue troll appeared before the Library, covered in a hooded disguise. He says that he was here for quite some time, looking for books, just when the royal banquet had started. It appears that he is no affiliation to the Horde as I failed to see any emblems or markings that would suggest so." Larkon answered before adding. "I managed to fight off the troll, as he was reading down the books, it would be too late now to rush to the table and ask for assistance, so I had no choice but to fight the troll myself."

Moira suddenly turned around and gave Larkon a furious look towards him. Shaking in deep rage as he cringed his teeth. Larkon was now so afraid and scared of the look that he felt like his whole body had just shut off. It looked like Moria was about five seconds away from just killing him on the spot for such a disastrous mess.

"I say that it pains me that a guard failed to do his duties…" Moira commented coldly, appearing that fists began to clench.

"Sir in my defense allow me to explain…" Larkon tried but was rudely interrupted by Moira who just got even more furious.

"EXPLAIN?! YOU HAD ONE JOB AND YOU GO AND DO THIS! AND YOU FAILED TO DO SO!" Moria yelled in absolute fury right in his face.

Larkon froze on the sight as he wasn't sure what to say or do next without making Moira anymore madder than he already was if that was even possible.

"Sir, allow me to take you to the injured guards, they will confirm my story as they are there as an eyewitness account." Larkon said softly and nervously, as he held his head down, trying not to stare back to Moira's eyes.

"Soldier that is the least of my concerns at this moment because you just demolished one of the castle's most prized rooms during one of the king's royal banquets with all his guests here. I should just skip all the regulations and have you whipped severely for failing to do your orders, if not worse!" He yelled in his face.

Larkon did not respond, only just kept his head low and remained silent as he continued to let Moira lecture and yell at him.

"Now, what would it be soldier?" Moira asked before adding. "Twenty-Five lashes or you will pick every book in the library and would still get the Twenty-Five lashes?" Moira said, his tone didn't harbored any regrets to what he just said.

"I will pick every book in the library and receive the twenty-five lashes sir." Larkon answered sounding like he was on his deathbed right about now.

"Then you and the rest of these good for nothing soldiers get to it now and fast before the king and prince see what a mess you made and I have to explain to them this." Moira says.

"Sir they are still gravely injured some even had broken bones, should you not let them rest first, as I will handle the duty." Larkon commented.

Moira slapped Larkon hard in the jaw with his metal gauntlet. Hard enough to cause Larkon to be thrown to the ground to hold his almost broken jaw painfully.

"Another word out of you and I will personally have you court martialed and hanged for treason. And if you so much as even speak to me like that without my permission I will ruin you! Do you understand me?!" Moira growled in deep anger as if he was deeply offended by what Larkon said to him.

Larkon stood back up and conceded to his demands while nodding. "I will sir." He saluted half-heartedly.

Moira shoved Larkon out of his way as he stormed out of the library. Leaving Larkon and the rest of the badly injured soldiers to try and clean up the mess as fast as their injured bodies could.

"You may leave now healers, we have duties to attend to." Larkon said.

All of those who attended the injured soldiers raised their brows. "They are still injured, it would be folly to leave them be." One said.

"An order is an order, it would be worse if we disobey the general, all of you must leave, and please, do not let these events get passed on anyone but us." Larkon begged, and they all nodded and walk out from the library to be on their way.

Larkon watched them all leave with a sad look on his face. When he saw one guard struggling to get up and start, he walked over to him and helped him up but softly made him sit down. "Let me help." Larkon offered as he and the rest of the soldiers tried getting started.

* * *

Alura lost the two soldiers before she could find out where they exactly went. Not having much choice, she decided to sit by a window and watch the stars outside. Hoping that Larkon would come back because she wanted to thank him again for his kindness. It was in that time she heard the horns blow again which signaled the last part of the banquet, a dance held for all the guests.

She sighed to herself. She usually hated these kind of things because she would refuse to recognize herself dancing with the nobles. Also most nobles that asked her to dance never even give her a chance to even make a choice and they would start dancing with her regardless of what she wanted. She almost felt like she just wanted to get up and leave since she really did not want to put up with another dance that a noble would enjoy while she would not.

A thunder of metal footsteps clung to her ears as she looked outside the window. She turned her head to see General Moira walking from below and was able to take the stairs to continue to the halls. Seeing the anger in his eyes, as his hands were clenched to a fist to his side. She ignored him, till he was able to walk pass her, whom he did not see. When she puts her back to what she was looking for, it gave her the idea on where Larkon would be.

Before she could go search for Larkon she saw father Paladin Joven once again walk up to her. "Alura, there is a dance being held. Perhaps you could join in?" He asked kindly.

She was getting a bit confused on to where she would continue. Continue looking for the Larkon or just go with him. Alura looked at her father once again, seeing his eyes hopeful to say yes. Her words struck him back at the dinner table and she did regret it, perhaps it would just be best to go with him, so that her regrets won't build up in the future.

"Yes, I think a dance would suffice my night." She answered.

Her father smiled at her. "Okay. Remember if anyone gives you trouble or does anything that makes you feel uncomfortable do not hesitate to tell me and I will take care of it." He said.

Alura sighed. "I am a grown woman, I think I can handle myself at this point of my life." She said as she walked by him.

"I know, but still…I just don't want anyone to hurt you." he said still feeling a little sad as he followed her.

"Then take care of yourself first." She commented.

He remained silent as the two walked to the ballroom of the castle. Her father stayed put to stand still in the side. Not wanting to get in the dance period. When she looked at him he simply said. "I only dance with your mother." He said calmly. "Do not mind me, try to enjoy yourself."

"I look like mother, and I only dance with whom I do know." She said, smiling, giving him at least a closure that she was enjoying a little bit with him.

He looked back at her, slightly surprised that she offered that to him. He wasn't sure what to do next but he nodded and softly took her hand while leading her to the dance floor.

"If you ever return to Exodar, please don't tell your mother this." He smiled nervously at his bad attempt at a joke.

"I think she would like to know." She commented as she rested her head on his shoulder as their hooves began to move to the rhythm of the music.

"And if I recall, you look like your mother yes, but you got your hair and skin color from me." He mentioned kindly with a heartwarming smile on his lips.

"Yet I have her face." She replied softly as they rocked back n forth.

His eyes began to shed tears, but he tried to hold them back but failed to do so. Finally he could make up some lost time with her. He wrapped his arm around her back and begins to move with her. His heart warmed up as they moved between the music, he relaxed as he enjoyed the sensations with his daughter. All those years ago he remembered, a white haired six year old draenei girl asking help from him to teach her how to dance.

"I love you Alura, I always have and will." He whispered, his voice low enough for her not to hear him.


	3. No Answer

Somewhere deep in the forest close to the city of Stormwind. The Troll with the cloth mask laid back on a tree, tossing a knife in the air and perfectly catching it back and forth. He stood there waiting for about a minute until he noticed someone coming. The figure that appeared was a tall and slender Blood Elf Warlock with an athletic muscular build. He had green glowing eyes, tan colored skin, fairly long charcoal black hair with a matching small charcoal black goatee, and painted magical runes around his left eye. He wore a black tunic with matching baggy-like black trousers and black fingerless gloves. All of which he kept tucked under armored greaves, boots, and vambraces that were dark grey in color and had gold lining. The vambraces encompass his forearms and the back of his hands plus had small green crystals embedded into them. Over this he wore a red ankle length robe that had gold trim and was parted at the sides and front-to-back to keep movement unencumbered. Tucked over the robe was a dark grey armored cuirass that also had gold lining and featured small curved spikes atop his collarbones. Wrapped around the waist he wore a long purple sash fastened by a belt held together by an ornate green crystal buckle.

"Did you find what we requested, Kor?" The Blood Elf asked him from the shadows.

The Troll now revealed as Kor flipped his knife in the air to catch it perfectly again before sheathing it back up.

"Nah mon. Ron into some complications. But I did check and they didn't have anything that you probably already don't know already."

The blood elf was silent for a small moment.

"I see, perhaps the Church of Light could have some knowledge that the Stormwind Library doesn't have. Those priests always keep valuable secretes. Try searching there for anything." The blood elf suggested.

The Troll nodded and was about to leave but stopped when the blood elf warlock called out to him.

"Kor, my master cannot afford anymore complications. We need this information and we need it now." He told the rouge.

"Relax mon, you'll talking to a professional. Tell ya master to consider it done." Kor said before vanishing into the shadows of the night.

* * *

The next morning, Alura hummed as she washed her hands, she rubbed the soap that covered hands as the running water that runs through the pipe washed the soap away till it was all gone. She turned and head towards the door to enter the room were other priestesses gathered, some bended their knees in prayer to the Altar. The room was filled with different races, ranging from gnomes to Worgens who were in the form of of their human selves, save for one who waited for her, who was quietly bending her knees in prayer. Alura smiled as she walked towards her longtime friend.

"Good morning Alura." Alura heard her best friend greeted as she noticed her.

The female Worgen got up from her knees, walked over and hugged Alura. The Worgen was a tall, quite beautiful black female Worgen with black hair that reaches her mid-back, light brown eyes, and a curvy body. She wore a purple robe with the lower portion being parted at the sides and a leather belt carrying various pouches wrapped around her waist. Over her robe she wore a blue vest with silver lining running across the edges, and brown leather spaulders and bracers that had green leaf padding underneath them.

When they let each other go, Alura greeted her close friend back. "Good morning to you as well Kinar."

The two started walking towards a nearby bench for them to talk a little. "So how was the banquet at the castle last night?" Kinar asked kindly.

Kinar and Alura sat down before Alura could answer. "It had its ups and downs, but at least some stranger made it worthwhile." Alura replied.

"A stranger you say? Who was he?" Kinar asked now curious.

Alura smiled to her teasingly. "How do you know that it was a he?

"Just guessing." She replied back playfully.

Alura chuckled. "Well, you are right, it was a he. He kindly escorted me in the castle to sight see, it was an enjoyable experience that compensated my boredom." She said.

"I take that you enjoyed more than just the view with him?" She asked with a small playful smirk on her face.

"What does that mean?" Aluras asked back.

"What race was he, was he a warrior? A Mage? A Paladin? And was he cute?" She answered.

Alura shook her head as she smiled. "He was none of those, he was just a human footman guarding the palace, and it was his first time to enter the palace also." Alura replied with a smile to her curiosity.

"And was he cute?" Kinar asked with a smile herself.

She narrowed her brow in playful annoyance and chuckled lightly. "It is an answer that you will have to guess for yourself Kirna, as for now my priestess hood renders me to answer." She replied.

"I know I understand. But did you at least invite him to come pay a visit to the Church of Light." She asked curiously.

"Well, I did and he agreed to visit often, as he said he needed some spiritual guidance." Alura said before turning her head towards the door where he should have arrived just now. "He should have arrived just now." She said softly.

"Well maybe he had to do something, you know with everything going on with that dark portal and with its new found problems that was discovered recently. Everyone is already on the edge of their seats nervous and scared. Speaking of which how've things been going with you and your father lately?" Kinar asked with full concern.

Alura turned her head to her with a raised brow and sighed as she turned face to her hands, which rested on her legs. "Well, we had a nice time, but not enough to change my views of him. A dance and a couple of talks is just not enough." Alura said softly as her tone was slightly saddened.

Kinar sighed and rested her chin on her right hand. "Tell me about it. At least you get to see your dad. Mine won't even leave his station at wherever classified place he went just to even say hi. Him and my brother, its been two years now and the only thing we do to even talk to each other is through messages." Kinar mentioned.

Alura exhaled loudly, getting tired of the mention of her father or anything else that is close to the problems of family. Even back then he just talked about his achievements, to a man named General Moira. But it seemed that would be enough to make her hesitate to stay. Judging from what little she could know about Larkon, it seems like he would be a person that would truly keep his word, and his conversation with the arrogant general would probably might have resulted him not being to come. To her it was enough to make her stand up.

"I think I have to go, perhaps Larkon is in trouble." Alura said to her urgently as she stood up from her seat.

"Well, I say we go find your footsoldier friend and bring him here." Kinar suggested as she stood up from the bench. "And his name is Larkon?" Kinar asked next as she looked back at Alura.

"Yes, and I'll ask, where is the Stormwind Keep?" Alura asked.

"But weren't you there last night?" Kinar asked with a raised brow.

"The Stormwind Barracks I mean. The place where they mostly camp." She corrected.

Kinar thought for a moment and then snapped her fingers. "I think I know, follow me." She said cheerfully as she grabbed Alura's hand and rushed her outside.

* * *

Larkon stood in the middle of the training yard of the castle where most of the soldiers trained in. Everything was all moved aside in order for them to tie Larkon's wrists and heels down to hold him straight in a standing position. He was without his armor and was only dressed in his trouser pants.

Around him several other foot soldiers stood by to watch what was going happen. Jorden was also close by but he had a nervous and almost dissatisfied look on his face. As if disgusted on what was happening at the moment. Moira soon came out followed by a few other high ranking soldiers. The young general simply stood somewhere several feet away from Larkon as the high ranking soldier walked up to Larkon and pulled out a scroll to read.

"Larkon. You stand before us charged with the destruction of his majesty's royal library with the failure of staying at your post, removal of your helmet without permission from a superior, and failing to capture the perpetrator who you claim was the cause of the mess. For this you shall be whipped with twenty five lashes, demoted by one rank, and then stationed somewhere fitting to your punishment. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" The high ranking soldier read and asked him before putting the scroll away.

Larkon had his head down even more, his body unmoving as he refused to give an answer.

The high ranking soldier continue as Larkon did not answer. "Then so be it, the twenty-five lashes will proceed as your punishment."

The high ranking soldier walked off to stand next to Moira. He motioned for Captain Jorden to step forward. Jorden with a heavy sigh, stepped out and walked over behind Larkon. He carefully whispered, "I'm sorry for this," before walking back a few feet.

A soldier handed Jorden a razor bladed tip whip. Moira who still looked angry just waved his hand for Larkon's punishment to start immediately.

Unknown to everyone, Kinar lead Alura to the training yard secretly. "This should be the place."

The two suddenly stopped when they saw what was going on and about to happened. "Wait a minute, what's this all about?" Kinar asked confused a little scared of what was about to happen.

"HNGH!,K'aack." A voiced groaned loudly as the two priestesses heard the hard slap of a flexible material contacted the flesh of the man. Both of the priestess squinted their eyes with gritted teeth, as if feeling the pain of the one who was the victim of this kind of punishment. Their hands rubbed their back, to feel their skin as they both felt the goosebumps and the cold chill that ran down their spines.

"One." Another voice counted.

They both looked over and saw a man was counting, his arms was crossed as his lips curled into what they make out to be a smirk, as if satisfied to what he was seeing.

"Hnghg!" The man groaned again as the whipped contacted his body countless times, his skin formed the lines of the whip at least half a centimeter deep as the lashes punished him. Some of the muscles was torn away from as the whip hit him, the blood ran down from his back. Staining his pants while dripping down into the ground blood to form a small pool.

The Priestesses look over, Kinar not yet recognizing the man, but as she looked to Alura, she could see that her mouth was wide gape, her eyes wide her hand tried to cover her mouth as she watched in disbelief. Kinar didn't even bother to guess who that man was. The two could only stay and watch in horror as they were forced to watch Larkon go through this until he received twenty five lashes. When it was over, Larkon was bleeding all over and breathing in deep pain while his body shook.

"That was only fifteen lashes by my count. Proceed Jorden." Moira ordered.

Alura almost gasped aloud that could've given away their position if she had not stopped herself. Jorden as well as most of the other soldiers looked back at Moira confused.

"But, I gave him twenty five lashes, I counted them personally." Jorden tried reasoning his way down to help the young lad.

"It was fifteen by my count now proceed Jorden." Moira ordered again.

Jorden looked back at Larkon and saw him just shaking badly from all the pain. With a sad heavy sigh, Jorden had no choice but to give an extra ten lashes to Larkon's already critically injured body. Larkon cringed and yelled in agony as he was whipped an extra ten total times now just because it only mattered if the general was counting. The young guard tried to resist the pain imbedded to his mind and body, his arms tightly clenching the muscles in resistance, and then….His body went limp.

The captain stopped his swings for a second before the captain intervened in warning, narrowing his eyes down at the anwanting captain. "Jorden, If you disobey my orders you will take his place…" He warned, piercing his eyes through the captain.

With no other choice, the captain reluctantly swung his whip in an effort to get this over with immediately and help the young guard. When Jorden was finally done with the extra ten lashes, Larkon's body was just covered in blood, dripping from his body with deep whipped gashes all around him. He was looking like as if he was going to die from loss of blood.

Moira waved his hand to Jorden. "That's enough, untie him now." He said.

Jorden quickly threw the whip aside and rushed over to untie Larkon and softly lay him down.

"Now get him out of my sight, I've wasted enough of my precious time with this nuisance already." Moira ordered before turning around and to walk away with his personal high ranking soldier following him.

Jorden lifted Larkon up, trying to avoid touching his wounds, and quickly make his arm wrapped around the back of his neck. Two more of them assisted, one of which was the one who Larkon conversed with the other day. The other lifted his legs up to make a maximum comforting position for his body to be lifted, as if there was any comfort Larkon was feeling at all as his mind shut down and passed out from the severe pain and blood loss.

"Easy, easy." Jorden asked gently as they tried carrying the young palace guard off somewhere to be treated for his serious injuries. He didn't know if he will might make it through the night which for a change, he had a scared look on his face. The wounds that was already deeper than he thought, he could see the lines of his muscles. The lines of the nerves and the yellowish appearance of the the very little fat contained between his muscles.

The whole sight horrified Kinar. What did this soldier do to deserve such a horrible cruel punishment? It was unheard of to be even done, no crime was worth this kind of terrible cruelty. When she looked back towards Alura she already saw Alura breaking from her cover to rush over to Larkon.

"Alura what are you…" Kinar whispered aloud as she rushed out to try and stop Alura before she could get into big trouble.

Alura didn't bother to even look at her as she jumped from her cover and rush towards where the soldiers have gone to. She was lucky that most of the soldiers left the training area. As she was running, she could see the trail of blood that dripped down from him, her mind was clouded in concern,as her heart beat fast in deep worry.

"Alura wait!" Kinar called back trying to catch up with her friend.

Alura still did not listen as she was deeply scared for the young soldier despite the fact that she only knows him from what little time they had spent. He was such a good person to her and to why did he have to go through that just kept her in check. Just exactly what happened that could cause such a terrible thing? These were the thoughts she kept thinking over and over again. Before she even knew it, she arrived at the area that they placed Larkon at.

His stomach rested to the soft mat as the soldiers with him tried to dissolve the infection with boiling water from boiled herbs, a standard plant to cure infection. Yet she could see the panic in their eyes as they tried to very carefully apply it without hitting his nervous system that could potentially end his life with it.

Their heads were turned when a sound of rushing hooves clung to their ears from the stairs. Seeing a white haired Draenei priestess adorned in silver robe, panting, with her eyes widened, locking her gaze down the injured man.

"Priestess Alura? What are you doing here?" One healer asked shocked to see her.

"What happened?" She asked one of the healers.

"An urgent matter that needs to be dealt with, he is now in critical condition as the General punished him by order. And I think the General was a little too far" The healer replied.

"A little too far is a nice way in putting it." Another healer said.

"Right now we can't tell if he'll be able to live through the night and we're doing what we can but it's pretty difficult even for people of our years of experience and expertise." Another healer said.

"We could use magic but there's a chance that the wounds may not heal right so that's why we're trying to get them in a stable condition before we do. Potions could work but they could make him badly sick and he needs to be stable unless we risk putting him into shock." The last healer told her.

Alura quickly insisted. "Then let me heal him with my powers as a priestess! I can-" A hand caught her arm as her hands begin to glow as she tried to channel her powers as a priestess. She turned to see a man around his early forties with a narrowed brow looking at her.

"You will not do that priestess, you're putting my men at risk with your actions." He said, before letting her go. "There is nothing we could do but hope for the best that he may survive." He added, turning his back to her as he heads towards the door, looking menacingly down the tent of the General.

"Even if two priestesses help, and that other one is a druid who happens knows a good mix of Balance and Restoration spells?" Kinar said as she finally revealed herself.

Jorden turned to see a worgen who shaped back to her human form, sporting a pale yet youthful and beautiful human appearance. Her hair and eyes remain the same. "Then do what you can. I value their lives." Jorden commented before walking down.

Kinar walked over to Alura to take a look at Larkon's condition. The sight scared her and she almost had to look away for a moment. Nevertheless she calmed herself down and stood next to Alura.

"What do you need us to do?" Kinar asked the healers quickly.

"The infection is taking over his body, we cannot touch his nerves with hot water that contains antibacterial plants. Without taking the infection out, he would still die to wound sepsis even if his wounds would be healed by magic.

"How about this, I will take the plants and use it with my druidic magic to combine its elements and heal his infection, Alura will heal his injuries with her Holy magic just enough to take care of his nerves. Once his nerves are safe from infection you guys do your thing with cleaning him. We won't heal him fully so his wounds can have time to heal on their own and not get messed up from wound sepsis." Kinar suggested.

The healers handed the remaining plants from the table and handed it down to Kinar. She gripped it hard and rubbed it around her hand. She closed her eyes as her hands began to glow green as the flesh of the plants around her hand began to burn out as it combined with the natural magic of the druids. Then she slowly and gently placed her palm to his injured body, its green glow was transferring from her hand to his body and it spread throughout him.

Kinar opened her eyes and looks at Alura whose eyes were narrowed in concern, she nodded her head to her signaling for her to do her work. The draenei priestess closed her eyes as she muttered in her native tongue, her hands began to glow as the holy magic crossed through her body and into her hand. She opened her eyes and saw it to a bright yellow glow, she placed her palm around his back gently and channeled, the wound that opened his nerves began to close as Kinar worked her way to cover it from the infection. It took a moment for the wounds around the nerves to finally close and before long they stopped as the other healers cleaned the wounds that teared his skin.

"There, his nerves are safe from infection." Kinar commented and added. "He still needs constant care and observation before he can recover on his own, it might take a few days to a week to do so." She said.

Alura sighed a heavy relief and had to sit down at a close by chair to try and calm herself. She looked back over to Larkon to see that he was at least in some peace. His injuries were not fully healed and still needed care and observation for them recover on their own. Just as Kinar just pointed out. However, at least he was in a much better condition than he was earlier.

He's breathing has become more relaxed as his body loses its tensed form. Though unconscious, he was reacting with the plant attacking the infection, in which his eyes narrowed in discomfort as it irritated his skin. Alura patted his shoulder, commenting on that he would be fine as she trusted Kinar's powers and the healer's expertise would help him go through.

Larkon was barely able to make eye contact with her as he was so out of it that his vision was blurry, his body numb, and his head spinning. He softly closed his eyes and tried to rest from the ordeal he suffered.

Kinar walked over to Alura and placed her hand gently on her shoulder. "Are you going to be okay as well Alura?" She asked her with concern. "You know, you seem very concerned for a person that you barely know

Alura wiped the sweat on her forehead and looked up to her. "Yes I'm going to be alright, I think I know him enough to know he is a good person. I don't want that to happen on anyone else, but I'm alright and I'm just glad he is also is going to be." She replied.

Kinar smiled and looked at the injured man who was sleeping quietly, as his upper body expanded as he breathe. "I think he is cute Alura." She commented as she smiled, which made the other priestess chuckle.

"Yeah, but let's not get to that border." She suggested.

"Alright I know. Listen I need to go back to the church to run some of the daily errands. Do you need me for anything before I go?" She asked softly.

"I'll be fine, I think I'm just gonna stay and keep an eye on his progress." Alura answered.

"You sure, because I can put them on hold if you need me for anything." Kinar suggested truthfully.

"I'm sure, you go take care of what you I will join you later." Alura smiled and patted Kinar's arm.

Kinar softly nodded before transforming back into her worgen form and walk off to go do her priestess errands for the church.

Alura watched her leave until she was out of sight. She sighed heavily and still kept her glowing eyes on Larkon. It wasn't until later that she saw the same soldier in his forties come walking back. By the look on his face he appeared to be enraged. Most likely coming back from a huge argument with the General with the result not ending well in the Captain's favour. Nevertheless, the Captain kept a calm and collected face on that reminded her of her father in a way. He walked over and checked Larkon out carefully.

"How is he?" He asked calmly.

"His conditions is stable captain, he is going to be alright." Alura replied softly as she looked up to him

Jorden looked down on the injured man and smiled. He then looks back to the concerned draenei who was patting Larkon's hair. He narrowed his brow and sighed as he analyzed her.

"What is he to you priestess?" He asked that surprised the draenei.

"I beg your pardon captain?"

"What is he to you that you would sneak in here in the training camp illegally to help him, you do know that you had trespass here without permission?" He asked once more, his voice becoming more insistent as he gazed down to her.

"Uhm...just a friend sir, and nothing more…and I know sir, I will take accountability of my actions" She replied shyly, averting her eyes from his in shame.

Jorden stared at her for a small moment. The look on his face not changing even for a small bit of time. Still he reached a hand down to Alura and patted her shoulder gently. "Thank you though…" he said calmly before letting his hand off her shoulder as he started walking off. Before he exited he stopped for a moment.

"You may feel free to go now priestess, you have done more than enough for that man." He said before adding, looking to the other healers. "The others will take it from here."

Alura looked at Larkon with concern, but then she shifted her attention back to his captain. "Captain, may I stay to care for him? I promise, I will do everything I can to help him even more." She asked.

Jorden sighed, but he smiled a moment later. "It's a woman's decision priestess." He said before he turned to face the other healers. "You two, leave her with her business, you might be needed with the others." He ordered.

The healers nodded and walked away with him, leaving the two alone. Alura watched them walk away till their figures disappeared from her sights. She sighed and places the back of her hand on his cheeks to feel his temperature, warm yet normal, she thought.

"I believe he's stable enough to warrant me a sleep" She said as her eyes become heavy, the sight of his now relaxed form took its toll on her also, and decided to let her head rest beside the bed. She smiled and looked at him before the weight of her eyes took over and let the beauty of rest take over her body, knowing that with the help of others she saved a strangers life, even though she just uncharacteristically went after him, by trespassing inside the keep, but at least it was not a matter to her knowing she had helped.


	4. A Quiet Conversation

The child was cornered up, three of them and one of them began beating him down, all for just an apple. They picked him up and punched him in the gut that made him tear up in the eye as his nose began to bleeds while he coughed blood out. Even at this level of punishment they kicked him and punched down, without good reason whatsoever as the owner was understanding of the boy's desperation. Nonetheless others took this cruel opportunity to take whatever was left from the child. The boy was of thirteen of age, was skinny from lack of food, dirty from lack of cleaning, and has a short black hair. He only wore a badly torn up sleeveless vest and trousers the ended at his ankles. They appeared to be as if he had found them from a garbage and had to wear them for his clothes.

Nevertheless, the group showed no mercy as they continued to punch and kick him hard wherever they could. Hard enough to break bones and land serious bruises all over his weak and frail body. He would fight back if he did not feel so weak from lack of nutrition and being badly hurt all over. He was powerless to defend himself as the people beating him continued their personal enjoyment of beating him up. It was then they decided to take things even further when they drew their small daggers and prepared to want to start cutting him slowly now.

The child wailed in pain as he began to scream, his eyes showed tears as it streamed down to his cheeks, a small cut to his arm, a small cut to his head, a small cut to his cheeks, and a small cut to his nose. He gave up his resistance and let his body hang low from its weight as he just whimpered and then they dropped him down hard as they lifted him up to cut him one last time. To make things worse they take a single bit of copper from him whom he tried to hind in his hands, just a single copper…..

Nonetheless he did not resist as they take it away from, laughing as they enjoy the sight of his predicament. One of them kneeled down and spat on him, before standing up and readying his knife to finish the boy off. The boy who had nothing left no more just closed his eyes and waited for them to kill him and put him out of his purposeless misery. He waited for a few seconds and cringed himself tight for what was to happen. Yet he soon heard one of the crooks scream in pain. Opening his eyes he saw a town's guard stabbing his sword through the stomach of the crook that spat in his face. Spewing blood all over the young boy as he watched the scene before him.

The other crooks charged in but the guard was quicker, he turned around and sliced the throats of two other crooks with his sword. They fell to the ground and cringed their throats while life was slowly leaving them.

"They matched the description." The man said as he took at a wanted poster paper from his pocket. "Murderers."

The boy watched this in shock and surprise as the guard slaughtered the crooks without mercy. It was only until the boy saw what was left of the apple he tried to steal that he lost interest with hunger of starvation taking over. Desperately he tried to crawl over to it with his battered and broken as well as his weak body.

He crawled slowly in the corner, despite the blood that spewed on his arm and head, he just rested his back on a wall with his knees while he takes a bite of the apple that he had.

The man looks at the child whom those murderers would befell as their victim, luckily for him he was there on time. From the looks of it this child was a runaway orphan, lost, cold and hungry, evident from what he saw now, a child covered in blood and cuts, while eating an apple.

There was no way this child would survive another week in the streets, no chance indeed. He bent down and wiped the blood that stained his sword from the clothing's of the crooks. Too he noticed a pouch on the belt line of each, and takes all of them one by one, taking their emblems along as evidence also to turn their dead bodies into authority. He approach the child who was crying while he was nibbling down the almost finished apple.

The soldier puts a bag of silver in his hand and throws it in front of the child. The child looks up as it landed in front of him as the man stared down at him. "Let's go kid. Let's get out of here." He said as he walked away.

The child hesitated at first, but the man turn his back once more at him. "You coming or what? I ain't going to wait for you." He warned and continued his walk.

The boy picks up the bag beside him and follows him down the road. The entire time he followed the soldier he stared in awe at him and how incredible he was when he took down those crooks but also was careful enough not to anger him. Though he did not know it yet, this was a choice that would forever change him to something better than he was. One that he would never regret. The soldier in the meantime looked back towards him with the crook of his eye and smiled gently to himself.

* * *

Larkon's eyes bolted open wide awake from his dream. He wasn't sure where he was or how even got wherever her was. His vision was heavily foggy and his body still felt very sore, nothing he wasn't already use to though so he could at least move if he wanted.

Larkon softly sat up from what felt like a bed. He looked around him while trying to readjust his eyes back to getting their proper vision back. He rubbed his face carefully and sighed when he got his vision back. Before he opened them back though, he took a moment to think about the dream he had of his childhood. Mentally comparing what he looked like back then compared to what he looked like now.

He smiled, his arms moved beside him and touched what he felt were like…..horns? His head shifted to his right side and thought he was just still dreaming once more. When he saw a Draenei woman with white hair resting beside him, he easily recognized her to be Priestess Alura. An impossibility of gigantic proportions.

His arms unconsciously moved to his back and touched it, causing him to gasp in pain as he tried also to not to scream. With this, Alura opened her eyes and saw Larkon sitting up awake. In which he was not supposed to.

She rushed to him and placed a hand to his chest trying to lay him down the bed. "You're not supposed to get up just yet." She said.

Larkon looked back at towards her a little confused but still remained still. "Where am I, how did I...what are you doing here Priestess?" He asked still a little confused on what was currently happening.

"You were whipped cruelly and undeservingly, I arrived to help and heal you. I volunteered to do so and watch you through the night, you needed it very badly to help you cope with your injuries, now please, lay down so you may rest." She said softly,as she puts the palm of her hand to gently push his chest down so he may lay down.

"I can walk really, I've been through worse stuff than the General's harsh punishments." He states as he tries getting back up but does lay back a in his bed to rest a little. "But I guess I can use a little rest."

"There is nothing worse than what I have seen the other day Larkon, a man whipped so brutally that he became unconscious, it pains me to see such scene Larkon, and would want nothing but to help you on recovering from that ordeal." She commented.

Larkon stayed silent for a moment not sure how he should answer that. With a sigh he just looked down on his bed sheets and nodded. "You saw that?" He asked softly.

She noded gently to answer yes.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." He states softly once more.

She remained silent herself still deeply affected by what she saw and was powerless to stop yesterday. It was at that moment she finally noticed he was shirtless, giving her a view of his fine physique which she could comment on. But did not sway to that and just focused on putting some effort to help his injuries wane and recover steadily so that no complication would arise in the near or far future resulting from the wounds. But still, it would be something of a sight seeing his physique which impressed her greatly.

Oh my….." She softly whispered as she shyly put her hand on her lips to not let him hear. She was never woman that notices a man's attributes, but this would would be something of a few exceptions that she did.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

She turned back around to face him. That was when she also noticed that his body, however, was covered in scars, cuts, bruises, and grazes that look like they come from years of the most intense forms of training, fighting, and hardships. These were not even counting the new ones he got from the harsh punishment he had from the hands of General Moira. She would note not to approach him in anyway possible knowing the things he is capable of.

"Priestess?" Larkon asked once again.

She coughed to clear her throat as she choked trying to answer him. "I'm fine Larkon, I thank you for your concern, I….." She mumbled her last word but she kept her composure and answer him completely. "I just notice that your body is filled with scars. I won't ask any questions about them, as it only shakes my curiosity." She finally said.

"Huh, oh you mean these..." He raised his other hand to gesture at his scars. "Well yeah, there's really not much to talk about regarding them. Captain Jorden says scars are red badges of honor that show what you what have survived and endured over your trails and how they are considered achievements for making it this far." Larkon said with a small smile.

She sadly curled her lips into a small frown. "But scars meant also that pain has been endured Larkon, one would not deserve above all else, especially to those who did nothing to suggest they deserve it." She stated.

Larkon looked back her and lays his head back on the pillow a little. "Yeah there's that too."

She tilted her head down below to see his wounds, then she looked back up to ask. "Does your wounds still hurt you bad?" She asked.

He sighed. "Yeah but they're nothing I'm already grown used to. If I wanted I can get up and get right back to guard duty and be fine. But I rather get some rest and I did promise you I would make it to the church of light later and I'm always a man of my word." He tells her.

She chuckled lightly. "I think I would be the one visiting you Larkon until you would fully recovered. And besides, I do not mind visiting the barracks from time to time, it makes my time worthwhile traveling around the area away from the church for a bit." She told, letting Larkon know that she would be willing to spend a great deal amount of time inside the barracks.

Larkon thought for a moment and then looks back at her. "Tell you what, let me go to the Church of Light in a bit as I promised and after some time there, I promise to stay back here until I'm fully recovered. Deal?" He asked while holding his hand out to her.

"Hmmm, tell you what Larkon, I will consider it." She said before adding. "But IF, you will consider me as a friend. But even then it won't be my decision to release you from here." She chuckled.

Larkon chuckled with her and shook her hand. "You got yourself a fine deal Ms. Priestess Alura."

"Just call me Alura, now that we're friends you don't have to refer to me by my title every time you see me." She offered.

"Alright Alura, as you wish." He smiled.

Larkon pulls the covers off him and carefully turns around, sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked at himself and noticed he was still only in his trouser pants which were still stained from his blood. "I think I'm gonna need a change of clothes first before I go out anywhere." He joked a little.

"Oh, not yet…" She said, landing a hand once more to stop him from getting up. "I will go out and just buy some things for you, let this be our first day spending time as friends, here in the room."

"I'm fine really I can get up and move." Larkon reasoned.

"True but as your captain I'm giving a direct order for you to follow that request." The two heard Jorden reveal himself as he enters into the room.

Alura turned around to see Captain Jorden coming in. "Oh, Captain, you are here." She exclaimed.

"You can call me just Jorden Ms." he said as he pulled up a seat and sat next to Larkon. "Mind if we have a little private talk priestess?" He requested.

"As you wish captain-uh...I mean Jorden, I was just going to leave to buy some things for him." She said as she bowed and left the room a moment later.

With the two soldiers now left alone in the room, Larkon sighed as he looked back down towards his hands.

"Sir...I…" Larkon tried saying but couldn't finish since he wasn't sure what to say.

"A fine woman..." Captain Jorden stated with a smile as he look back to the direction where Alura went.

"Pardon sir?" Larkon asked a little confused.

Jorden looked back at him, his voice raising as he repeated. "A fine woman I said soldier, did you not hear? The draenei." He said as he bended his body forward.

"Huh oh yeah sorry sir. She is." He nodded in agreement slightly.

"So, soldier you are not allowed to get out from this bed till tomorrow, those wounds still needed some time." He said before adding, his voice began to soften up. "So I talked to that son of a…" He coughed as he retracted his words. "I spoke to commander Moira." He said.

"How did that turn out?"

"I wanted you to leave your status as a guard Larkon, go somewhere, and live your life like a farmer or anything you like." He replied, he looked at Larkon to see his reaction in disbelief.

"Huh, but why?" He asked in disbelief.

"Trust me kid, it be better, you had more than enough money in your stores to do this thing." He answered.

"But sir, I...I mean I don't mind working as a guard I, heck it's the only real life I've ever know." Larkon answered.

"Well, are you…...satisfied?" The question repeats itself.

Larkon narrowed his brow and remembered back where the question originated, asking if this life satisfied him. He thought about it, his mind ringing as it repeated the questions in his head like a cricket in the night. Larkon looked at his commander and sighed, perhaps the captain was right. Perhaps...

* * *

Alura walked down the streets of the city as she made her way towards a little special somewhere she knew she could get something nice for Larkon. As she walked down, she would see several kids from different races rush down playing some kind of game. This always placed a smile on her face to see how peaceful things are even though there was so much horrible things that would happen in the world at this moment. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a large commotion occurring to a nearby bar she was heading.

She saw a Night Elf, a Human, and a Dwarf get thrown out of the bar, all three of them drunk out of their minds. Another Dwarf who was 4-5 feet tall, stocky, and muscular with dark grey short hair a matching dark grey elaborate beard came rushing out two handed axe in hand. He possessed brown eyes and a long scar on his right eye. At the moment he wore just a simple bartending outfit consisting of just plain tunic short sleeve shirt, trousers and boots. Nevertheless he looked terrifying with the two handed axe in his hands as he made a mad dash to the three drunks.

The drunks saw the Dwarf charging at them with his axe and started running for their lives. The mad bartender dwarf chased after them until they were out of his sights.

"That's right run yer little drunk piss ants I say run!" The dwarf yelled at them.

The Dwarf noticed a Draenei with white hair in a white robe when the three drunkards run towards her direction, still narrowing his eyes as he watched them leave. He softens up when he realized that the Draenei girl was none other than Alura. He smiled widely and waves at her to notice him.

"Oi! Lass, what are ye doing here?" The Dwarf greeted as he approached Alura, not noticing that his arms still carried the two handed axe.

"Hello Thark! I'm glad I passed down to your shop." Alura replied back, as she bended down to give him a deep hug. She nervously smiled when she noticed he still carried the weapon in his arm. "Your weapon…...It's near me..." She mumble.

His eyes shot open. "Oops." he carefully tossed it aside and lets her go. "Sorry about that lass. I had to chase some drunks who had one too many of me drinks and were causing a mess. And you know me I have zero tolerance fer that kind of...jiffies." He said gently stopping himself from cursing. "Come, come, lass, let's get inside and have some talk." He said as he walked back to the Inn that he owned, the named the Bonebeard Inn.

Once inside he pulled up a seat for her and took a seat himself. The Inn was quiet and didn't have too many people. Most likely because it was still very early in the morning and people haven;t gotten the urge to drink just yet.

"So lass how've you been lately?" Thark asked as he took a seat in front of her.

"I'm alright, I visited the palace, and I was just about to buy something for a friend of mine." She replied softly as she looked around, looking if there is any improvements to the place. She saw that it has indeed improved in terms of decoration, a few dangling Ivy's around the ceiling corners was a nice addition. "I noticed the palace had some decorative additions." She said as she turned back to the Dwarf who was kindly preparing a drink for himself and water for her.

"I know how ye don't like me drinks, so water would be enough fer ye?" He asked and then answered her comments. "And yeah, I had some time fer dilly dagging the old thing. And what was ye all about buying gifts fer a friend lass? Don't tell me Kinar needed more gifts for her druid stuff."

"No it's not that. I met a new friend when I went to the Royal Banquet the other day with my father." Alura began.

"Oh, and how yer trip gon well lass? Had a good time with ye dad?" He asked and then gulped down the mug of ale.

She sighed a little. "Well, it was mixed. I guess I had a good time. Yet it fell short with my father though. But I did have a good time with my new friend I met." She answered as she took a sip of water from her cup.

"Who is she lass?" He asked as picked up a dirty mug and wiped it down with a worn out piece of cloth. Thark looked at her and notice that a smile was coming out from her lips.

"Well Thark, my friend is a he." She said softly while taking another soft sip of water. "And he's is a guard at the castle stationed there for the first time."

"Yer giving up yer priestesshood lass?" He suddenly asked randomly.

"What no, no nothing like that!" She said quickly. "He was just a very kind new friend I made and about a day or so ago he was wrongfully punished and beaten for something I don't know about. So I just wanted to get him a gift for being so kind to me that's all."

"Tsch, punishments, I had ma fair share of those lass, tell me, do you know who punished the lad?" He asked with slight anger.

"A man named General Moria." She answered. "Another self-centered stuck nobel who like all mst other nobles just bragged and talked for hours about his achievements and titles. Or at least tried until I stopped him"

Thark didn't respond to her as he hand becomes more vigorous as he rubbed down the worn cloth at the base of the mug. Alura grew concern as his brows narrowed deeply and his shoulders becoming tense. His breathing becomes heavier as he remembered back then. He felt a hand placed on his shoulder, interrupted his thoughts. He looked to see Alura standing over to him with a narrowed brow of concern.

He sighed. "Sorry lass, I was just…" He stopped himself as returned the mug back to its place below the counter. He turned his back to her and picks up another, rubbing it with the same worn out cloth. "The man ye mentioned, A know him." He said to her, never bothering to look back.

She narrowed her brow in concern mixed with curiosity. "You do?" She asked.

"Back when a was just about te retire from being in service. He, Moira that bastard was our new commander." He began as he did not stopped what he was doing. "This lad, human, who looked like his age was just like a wee babe, ye know? Rookie." He said. "A good lad, had spirit." He added.

"What are you saying?"

"One mornin the lad failed to do his duties in the night, and caused a few hundred bits of gold from the treasury stolen from by some rock headed thieves. The boy said that he patrolled around the camp rather than just stay in one location." He turned and looked at her as he put back the mug. "Ah, that basterd don't have any of it." He said. "Forty-five lashes fer the young lad." He slammed his fist on the table as he said it.

"What happened?" Alura asked, looking like as if she doesn't want to hear what happened.

"The lad didn't make it, died just a few hours later." He answered.

Alura almost gasped from hearing this. Her body shook and trembled at the very thought from what Thark must've saw during that time. She sat back down and just stared at her cup of water trembling. She stopped shaking when she felt a soft hand gently pat her hands to try and calm her nerves down. She looked back up to see Thark looking at her with a sympathetic look as he sat back down right next to her.

"He was whipped also." She said to him.

The dwarf looked back at her, his eyes narrowing down as anger raced around his mind once more.

"He almost didn't make it, had both Kinar and I arrived, he would've died just like the young man you mentioned." She said.

"Aye, sad lad…" he answered gently despite feeling rage build up inside him. "You and Kinar did what we back then failed to do."

Thark shook his head as he tried to lighten himself up from what they both had just learned. "Alright lass, let's get away from our sad dilly dallies. What ye need from lassy?" He said energetically as he tried to make himself and her put back their smiles on.

She remained silent for a moment as she tried to think of something. Truth be told she honestly didn't know since she never did anything like this before. "Um, I don't know. I just thought I get him something nice as a way of saying thank you back at the royal banquet and start our first day as friends off."

Thark nodded and went back to the counter to get something for her. "I got just the thing for ye lass."

Thark soon came back with a few food and some souvenirs.

"Like most women say lass, a good way to show yer love is through a man's stomach!" He laughed as he puts it down in front of her.

"I didn't mean it like that Thark I mean I just met him and we just became friends. Nothing is happening and I still plan on holding true to my beliefs and vows as a Priestess of the Light." She told him.

"Can't a woman love a man friend lass?" He said as looked up to her.

"Well I'm not in that kind of way I mean at least someone like me. But…" she groaned slightly while rubbing her face. "You know what I mean right?"

He smiled. "Ahm just kidding lass, come on now, up yo go and help that man friend of yers." He gestured at her to go outside.

When he handed her the stuff he pulled out, she stood up and hugged him. "Thank you Thark." She said with a smile before letting him go and walk out the inn to go see Larkon with the stuff she just got.

"Ama expecting ye lass to bring that man friend of yers in the future!" He said to her as she neared the door.

* * *

Larkon still sat in his medical bed with Jorden sitting closely by his side. He was still thinking about the repeated question his captain just asked him. He put some thought to it and answered with a sigh.

"I do not know how to answer that sir. But I am forever grateful for what you have done for me in getting me into the position as a guard. So much that I don't think I will ever be able to repay you for giving me a life and purpose." Larkon answered finally.

"Then pay it by looking for a woman and retire." Jorden said as he shooked his head with a smile. "Pay it with retirement and make sure that woman would be her." He repeated and made Larkon's brow raise.

"Her sir?" He asked slightly confused.

"You know what I mean, and don't pretend you don't know." He pointed at him.

"Um sir, she's a Priestess of the Light and a Draenei. Not to mention Paladin Joven's only daughter. Also I'm just, well I don't know I just haven't felt like pursuing a relationship or looking for a woman yet. I've had my eyes on some human girls and a night elf here and there but never a Draenei. You know how they say it's odd for a Human and Draenei to you know, and become a couple. I'll put some thought into retiring I guess for you sir, but as for the woman, I think I'm gonna need some time on that." He answered feeling slightly embarrassed.

Jorden sighed as he shook his head smiling for a reply. "I had my fair share with interracial romance soldier. Though it ended with her leaving me with a pregnant belly. But you know, it lasted for a time, and back then ten years ago or was it some twenty years ago? But you know what I mean, and they say back at that time that High Elves and Humans don't get into romance easily." Jorden said to him as he looked at the fireplace.

"I know sir, but still, she's a draenei and not an elf. And she's a Priestess of the Light. So there's a good number of complications and such. Besides I'm just not really looking for a relationship with a girl just yet. And as for retirement, I'm guessing you tried talking to General Moria about that and it didn't go well?" Larkon asked changing the subject back to the one from earlier.

"That bastard might get someone killed with these kind of punishments someday." Jorden said.

"What did he say regarding me?" Larkon asked.

"He doesn't feel like you've done enough service for retirement and now wants to have you stationed to stand guard at the kingdom sewers from night at dawn until morning at dawn." Jorden said.

Larkon shrugged. "Well, there went my time as a guard at the castle."

"Let me finish." Jorden muttered to him, annoyed somewhat. "He considered that, but also considered something else." He said to him, as he puts both of his hands in front of him.

"Like what?" Larkon asked.

"You will be stationed to the sewers if you put your hand on my right palm, that's option number one." He said, before looking at his left. "Or, you will be stationed back to the palace, but if you fail once more you will be sent to dangerous patrols around the kingdom." He said.

Larkon thought for a moment as he looked at the Captain's palms. He didn't know if it was a trick question or what. Sure he could get the sewers patrols and risk not angering Moria any further than he already had. However it wasn't every day that people especially like him could get a second chance at something like he had. Without much more thought he placed his hand on Jorden's left palm.

"I knew you were going to take that offer." Jorden said almost angrily.

"I won't fail again sir. That I promise." Larkon said seriously as he shook Jorden's hand to guarantee that he promised him.

"You better, because I expect you to give that woman a baby in her stomach in the near future." He said.

"Sir, like I said I-"

"Who would be given a baby in the near future?" A voice interrupted them. Almost instantly, both of them had their heads turned at Alura who had just arrived with some things.

"Oh um, I was just telling Larkon about how one of the men's wife is expecting to be giving a baby in the near future." Jorden said as he cleared his throat to cover his what he just said and got up. "Um if you would excuse me I have to get back to my station. Good day to you all." He bowed his head and left the room.

Alura watched him and leave and looked back at Larkon.

"What were you two conversing about?" She asked as she entered and closed the door behind her.

"Ah just the captain telling me some stuff regarding what's going on with the others. Like one soldier's wife is expecting a baby in the near future and such." Larkon answered with a lie as he watched her take a seat next to him.

"Oh, how delightful, a new life would come up as time would pass." She said happily, unknowing that it was her that they have conversed about.

"I agree. So you're back already?" He asked with a smile wanting to change the subject fast as a red on his cheeks was slightly forming.

She dig through the items she brought and showed it to him. "I just brought in some quality food, as I see…food here is detestable." She said with her tongue out in disgust in the end. She scoured once more and took out some fresh green apples and grapes. "Like this, quality food."

She handed one of the apples to him. He looked at it some before taking a small bite and enjoying the taste. "Not bad, great quality food indeed." He said while chewing the apple some before swallowing. "Want some, it's really good?" He asked offering her some of the food she gave him.

She took one of the apples and took a bite. "Hmmm." She hummed in satisfaction as she chewed through it. "How delightful." She commented as she looked at him with her smile never leaving.

"Told you it was good." He smiled.

"I know." She said before bending her body down to check his condition. "Larkon, would you mind if I take a look on your injuries?" She asked.

"Sure thing, after all you are the priestess of the Holy Light and know how to heal others." He answered as he removed the covers of his bed off him to let her inspect his injuries.

She stood up and observed, the skin of his was at least not so gruesome to look at anymore. Nonetheless it still looks very painful, but at least stable. Her hand reached down to land on the utmost edges of his wounds, making him slightly groan in pain.

"Does it still hurt badly when you lay down on your back?" She asked once more.

"Not so much really. If I'm laying still and softly it doesn't hurt but if move around a little roughly then they start hurting. I'm fine honestly it's not that bad." He told her honestly.

She looked over to the corner of the room and went on to the cabinet where medical supplies were held. Her hands reached at the cabinet and grabbed a roll of bandage. Though it was just only a roll of unused cloth, but nonetheless the healers were resourceful and she was grateful for that.

"They need to be covered up so you can be more comfortable." She said as she walked towards him. "It doesn't take long now before the skin becomes healed well enough to not hurt anymore...even if I were to touch it roughly. Perhaps three days or less and you can be healthy enough to do your duties once more." She continued as her hands ripped the cloth rolls that was at least seven feet long.

Larkon sighed as he sat up from his bed and turned around to sit down on the edge of it so she could get good access to bandaging his injuries. "I guess you're right." He sighed.

She lifted her feet up and got to the bed herself as she tried to apply the rolls of bandages around him. Her left hand grip the other end of the cloth while her right pressed the other end of it to his chest with his palm, where she could feel the warmth of skin and beat of his heart. It was satisfying for her to feel a heart that still beat. Her left hand let go of the other end and caught the fourth of it to begin rolling the entirety of it around his back, it didn't long for her to wrap all seven feet of it around his back and ties it to a knot.

"There that would suffice." She said, and rest her palm on her chest to push slightly push him back to lay down. "Now lay down so that you could take some rests."

He nodded as he got back in the bed and pulled the covers softly over him. "Thank you." He said softly to her.

"Now sleep and take some rest okay? I have to take my leave now to attend to my duties at the church. I will be back tomorrow to check up on you once more." She muttered to him softly.

"Yes ma'am." He answered her. She nodded gently to him before standing up and taking her leave.

Larkon watched her leave until her figure disappeared from his sight. Laying his head back on the pillow he put some thought into the conversation him and his captain had regarding his choice to stay at the palace. While he did this he decided to eat the rest of the food she brought him. When he finished he closed his eyes to go into a deep sleep to rest as she requested.


	5. New friends and a Dwarf

It had been a whole day since Alura's last visit to Larkon. He remembered that if he was feeling any better today then she would be able to take him to the church like he promised her. To his luck he was beginning to feel allot better compared to yesterday. Jorden and Alura were right, with him having to stay and rest for at least one more day. He was already sitting on the edge of his bed up and awake while popping his joints and muscles some.

A glass cup of water was right beside his bed for him to drink. He smiled at that and thanked the generosity and the helpfulness of his fellow footman, healers and soldiers. Especially to Captain Jorden. His hand reached out to the glass of water and poured himself some till it was full. He drank the water slowly, as he let it slide down his throat and allow him to feel the taste of clean water.

"Ahhh." He sighed after finishing the cold glass of clean water. He placed the cup back on the table and relaxed a little.

"So how're you feeling now?" He heard Alura's familiar voice call out to him.

He looked over to see her just enter the room.

"Allot better than I was yesterday. I guess you and the captain were right about resting for that extra day." He answered as he stretched his muscled body some to get the feeling back to his joints.

Alura chuckled. "The captain sounds like a man who would hit a woman if one of his men gets hurt by her." She said, before adding to comment. "You know, he values his men very greatly."

"I know, I owe the Captain a debt of gratitude I can never repay. It was the captain who found me as an orphaned boy and got me into the position as guard so I could have a purpose in life." Larkon said as he stood up from bed. He looked down and saw that he was still in his blood stained trousers. "And it looks like I'm still in need of change of clothes before I head off."

"Oh..." Her hand covered her lips as she looked and smelled the stench of stained blood in her nostrils. "It reeks a foul odor that one I could not allow." She said as she tried to have a proper solution for the problem.

"Yeah sorry about that. Tell you what, let me get changed real quick and I'll meet you outside." He mentioned.

"Alright, I'll wait outside for you then." She said with a soft nod and opened the door to take her leave outside.

Larkon watched her go and quickly stripped out of his blood stained trousers once she was out of the room. Sometime later he got dressed in normal out of work clothing. Consisting of a common green short sleeve tunic shirt, light brown trousers, and black leather boots. When he finished getting dressed he walked outside the room to see Alura sitting in a chair waiting for him.

"How do I look?" He asked.

"You look….fitting." She said with smiled, she turns her head over his side to check the wounds on his back. "Does it still bother you?" She asked.

"Nah, not as much as it was yesterday. Now they only bother me only a little. But don't worry I'm feeling allot better and rested now don't worry." He encouraged.

"How so on about 'bothering you a little'? I must make sure you are conditioned well enough to take a walk." She countered.

"Just a few aches and sores here and there every now and then without me being able to guess when and how. Nothing too bad they're just a little bit sore and they'll be like that for a few days while they try to fully heal. So anyrate I am curious to see the Church of Light. I've never been stationed there and I always been meaning to find time to pay a visit when I can." He answers.

"Oh thank the Light for that at least." She said before continuing. "Let's head down to make our way to the Church, perhaps we could even visit a friend of mine on the way, while also meeting Kinar, one of the ones who healed and perhaps the one who saved your life." She said.

"Of course, lead the way my lady." He offered.

Both of them trekked down the stairs, passing the training soldiers by as captain Jorden shouted insults...encouraging insults at them at training.

"You weak cats! You will not last a day against a single finger of the undead attacking you! Back in my day Arthas attacked us personally and I was able to live-" He stopped his screams at the scared and bewildered soldier in front of him when he notice Alura and Larkon on the stairs.

"Soldier, a bit early for dates in this kind of morning eh?" He teased as he let the soldiers behind him get some mental rest from his barbaric insults. "Alura just arrived to check up on you to make sure you are well enough, and it seems you are well enough to walk soldier." He said.

Larkon sighed a little at the mention of 'date.' "Very funny joke sir but it's not a date. I've been meaning to pay a visit to the Church of Light for some spirituality a little and I just found the time. The Priestess offered to show me around since I've never been there and we're heading there now." He told his captain.

"Well, tha-" A happy and excited voice interrupted the captain when a soldier beside him just stood up and wailed happily at Larkon.

"I knew it! I knew my advice would work! I told you so Larkon!" He said, as it was the guard that Larkon was conversing with the other week about romance.

"Guys it's not what you all think alright but right now I'm off. I'll be back to stand guard at my position at dawn later." Larkon said annoyingly as he tried rushing out with Alura.

Alura chuckled at him as they both storm off from the barracks. Larkon raised his brow to why she was chuckling.

"What?"

She smiled. "I had my fair share of tease from my colleagues, it was memorable and it seems you have one or two, and that is a sign of a very, very deep friendship."

"Yeah one that's going to end up with me kicking their butts all around the whole city." He sighed annoyingly.

"Mind the language Larkon, it would be inappropriate for such language to be spoken in the church, and did I not remind you such language would not impress or get you some fine ladies?" She teased.

Larkon sighed. "Yes ma'am sorry for my language ma'am."

"Forgiven."

The two eventually were able to make their way out of the barreks and arrive in the streets of Stormwind. Both of them took the opportunity of walking towards the church to sight see most parts of the streets on their way in. A few children of all races played tag, some little human girls were playing with some little draenei girls and worgen girls. While some little human boys were giving flowers to some little night elven girls as a gnome, high elf, and dwarf children were arguing something about who is the better contributor of the Third War. Other than children they also saw normal civilian adults of all races go along their daily lives and such in the market and other stuff. From there they started their walk towards the Church, which was easy to find due to its enormous size and being one of the city's landmarks.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Alura asks.

"Yeah, really is beautiful." He smiled as he was just in awe slightly from the sight seeing and the sight of the Church which he finally had the time to take notice for the first time in his life.

The church was adorned in golden trims around its walls, the walls made from smooth ceramic marbles, its center was marked by the symbol of the light with, which was made up from golden trims, the center of its ceiling hanged a chandelier which was made out from beautiful transparent crystals, and the center roof alone was made of pure transparent crystal in which the sun will direct its rays to light the church and a giant cross stood proud in front of the altar where a number of people, priest, priestess and civilians alike of different races prayed together in harmony.

Larkon was stunned to see such beautiful architecture ever come together. It was almost just like the Stormwind Keep palace. Of course he could spot some noticeable differences but that was the beauty of it. The fact that this place had some differences yet was just as beautiful as the keep just made this place that more special to the eye.

"Hey Alura you're back." Alura and Larkon heard Kinar come walking over to them still in her Worgen form.

"Good to see you Kinar." Alura said and then looked at Larkon. "Larkon, this is Kinar she is of Worgen descent and a druid, yet a servant of the Light." Alura greeted her for him.

That was when Larkon recognized Kinar after Alura introduced her to him. "That's right. I think I know you. Your father is the Worgen General, Genera Kodan Drace. You're a Druid who follows the Path of the Light." Larkon mentioned as he just came to the realization.

"Yes, she does follow the Path of the Light despite being a druid, odd isn't she?" Alura said and asked.

"Yes I've got the reputation apparently but don't mind that I'm just a faithful follower just like Alura and everyone else here. And you're the cute footsoldier that gave Alura a nice view of the palace that we helped the other day." Kinar mentioned.

Larkon chuckled. "It's odd also to hear the word cute from a worgen."

"Well I was just telling Alura that the other day when I first saw who she was talking about. So is this your first time here?" She asked.

"Um yes ma'am it is. I've been wanting to make time to come visit here but my duties as a guard always seemed to get in the way of things until now." Larkon answered.

Kinar chuckled a little. "Oh trust me, we priestesses are kept just as busy as you fellow soldiers in arms are. But come on, me and Alura will give you a tour around the place." Kinar offered as she started walking off to lead the way while turning back to her human form.

"This is a place of great magnitude." Both of Priestess heard him comment as they saw Larkon look around while following them.

All three stopped when they both were in front of the Altar of Light. A bishop was preaching to the others who attend today and some were praying to the Light, bowing their head down. The three had their eyes closed and their hands lifted from their side and on to their front as they prepared to pray.

By all means the two women finished first and turn their heads to see Larkon still had his eyes closed, and even tears began to shed as he felt his heart churned. He sighed and opened his eyes never bothering the tears that was on him.

"Are you okay Larkon?" Both priestess asked in concern.

"I'm okay, you know….just have some nostalgic moments." He replied to them, smiling as a result.

The two priestess smiled and waited a small moment for the bishop to finish before the continued on with the tour around the Church of the Light. They both trekked down the halls and went into a small library. Some paladins and priests were digging through the scrolls and casting, and some were just reading down the line to see those nice words.

"In the beginning was the word, and the word was the Light." A man muttered, loud enough for them to hear.

Alura stepped in and introduced the room. "This is the library of holy scrolls, this is the place if one would need to read the words to have them under the guidance of the Light."

Larkon took a moment to observe the room for a small moment. "Wow that's allot of scrolls."

Kinar stepped in. "A lot, it spans for a minute walk from here to the end of the room. And I assure you, you will not run out of scrolls to read, be it stories, poetry, it's all there in account." She said.

"How do you all find the time to read most of them?" Larkon asked as he looked down a section of scrolls.

"We don't read most of them Larkon, you can just find the scrolls of your liking. And most of the time during my duties of being a priestess, I enter in this room to read the scrolls." Alura replied.

Larkon had his head up for most of the time, the bookshelves stood tall, more than nine feet tall that contained a hundred scrolls in each. He watched in awe as even one would need a ladder to reach the very top of it. He turned to the two priestess, in which Alura picked one from below as she bended down.

"This is my favorite of all." She said. "It says, "Whosoever needs the Light, just call from above and be taken away from the blight. Truly magnificent words." She commented.

Kinat picked up a scroll close by and read. "My personal favorite, reads this. The Light doesn't judge who we are born from or born as. The Light welcomes all who would seek its guidance." She mentioned.

Larkon noded as he looked down for him to read, but just decided against it. "It seems I have really missed a lot from not visiting the church." He said as he looked back to them.

"It's never too late Larkon. Why don't we help find you a scroll that might capture your liking?" Alura suggested.

"Yeah, there is a scroll of words for anything and everything." Kinar encouraged.

Larkon looked at them and noded. "Alright I guess I got plenty of time." He smiled.

Turning back to the book shelf, he noticed a scroll that contained the word 'Soldier.' He slowly bends down so he won't tamper his wounds and reached for the scroll for him to read.

"A Man of Soldier walks through the blight, yet his heart doesn't falter as he is imbedded with the Light. He may take an unknown future, but the Light is with him and will always nurture." He read. Smiling, he turned his attention back to them. "I like this." He commented.

The two priestess smiled at him, happy that he found a scroll that captured his liking. When Larkon placed the scroll back up he turned to them and ask. "Shall we continue with the tour?" He asked softly.

"You may only need to see a very special occasion." Alura said, making him raise his curiosity. "Take a seat in front of the Altar, the ceremony is going to begin, and we will have to help prepare for ourselves." She added.

"Alright, I'll see you then." Larkon nodded and started making his way over out of the Library to head to the Altar.

Kinar looked back at Alura as the Draenei watched him leave. "Do you think he's doing alright so far?"

Alura looked at her and replied. "He is doing fine, I thank thee for the concern Kinar. I watched him throughout the day and night, he is a very resilient man."

"Perhaps the Ceremony will put his heart at ease. Come on we got to go get things ready." Kinar suggested as she started walking off with Alura.

Larkon sat down at the long church benches, looking and waiting for whatever ceremony they have just said. He listened to the preacher as he stood in front of the Altar speaking the words of compassion and understanding, speaking the words of forgiveness. A guidance that he would need.

He looked up and admired everything, his mind putting him to a very foggy state as his lips curled into a smile. How many years, since he last had been, it's been so long that might have not remembered if he had ever come here in the first place. Nevertheless he needed some guidance.

The words of the priest stop and snapped him back to his senses. He raised his hands and signaled the priestess who awaited from the back. Each of them carried a small chalice that held a small ounce of wine. Alura, Kinar and the other priests and priestesses matched the numbers of the attendants as they approached them, each of which stopping by in front of them to bear the cup of wine.

Kinar stopped to give her cup to a fellow worgen, as Alura approached Larkon, unknowing what would take place in the ceremony.

Alura stood in front of him, her hands bear the wine and holds it for her to slowly sip as the others proceeded with her. "For the light will never cease." She said as her soft hand reached down to his. She gently gripped it and lifted it up to cover the lid of the cup, and then her the palm of her hand becomes the base of the chalice as she spoke her words. "Partake, and your cup will never empty, for the Light will be with your wine."

Larkon wasn't sure what to think or do. He just felt his body move on his own while deep down feeling a sense of peace and harmony slowly form inside him as her hands slowly helped him lift up the cup to partake. His lips opened as he sip the contents of it, her hands offered as a help when he didn't know what to do. He was grateful for her as he took the cup and poured it down to his.

"Thank you Priestess Alura." He thanked as he gave the cup back to her.

She bowed to him formally and replied. "Thank me not, but thank the Light for it." She said as she, along with the other priestess form a line to return behind the Altar.

Larkon bowed his head formely to her and sat down while he watched her return to the back of the Altar with the rest of the Priests and Priestesses.

The preacher once again had spoken and preached the word. Larkon just sat down as he listened, smiling at the moment, while nonetheless the two ladies returned and sat down with him to listen for the rest. The Ceremony took for another hour or two before the preacher eventually finished. To most of the ones there it felt time flied by fast as they payed such deep attention to the messages of his words. When they finished, he opened up a closing prayer before dismissing everyone for the day. Kinar decided to lead Larkon to the courtyard of the church before they would leave for the day.

"So what did you think of the Ceremony Larkon?" Kinar asked.

He smiled. "A spiritual experience." He replied.

"Was it your first time?" Alura asked.

"Truthfully I do not remember, Alura, perhaps I did visit the church once, all those years ago when I was just a very young boy." He answered as he looked at her.

"I see." Alura answered.

"Well before we head out for the day I wanted to show you the courtyard of the Church. It's here that we can freely practice our spells to better improve ourselves so we could be of better service to the Light." Kinar comments.

Larkon took a look around to see a few Paladins and Priests practicing on their magic and skills. Ever so rigorously to perfect themselves as best as they can. It was almost like the training yard he does on occasion but slightly more peaceful since they didn't have a hard ass captain lecturing them every step they took.

"I forgot to ask Larkon. What exactly are you in the guard? A Warrior? A Hunter? A Mage?" Alura asked.

"Hu? Oh I'm just a simple warrior nothing special, Warriors are anything one would be, as long as they have swing sword in a fight." Larkon answered.

"Really, what do you specialize in?" Kinar asked.

"Pardon?"

"For us for example. I specialize in the Restoration field of Druidic magic. While Alura here specializes in Holy arts of Priestesshood." Kinar answered.

"So what about you?" Alura asked.

"Oh I don't think I really specialize in anything as a Warrior. The only thing that magic helps us is when we grow to gigantic proportions in the battle field for a minute to demoralize them." He said.

"Gigantic proportions?" Kinar questioned.

"It is an Avatar of us. It is unleashed when anger and determination filled the mind and body, and then the magic inside us would mix and bring in our avatar. It is either a last weapon to use or a first weapon to use, but then in the end it weakens us and we have to regain our strength back once more." He answered.

Kinar and Alura looked at each other for a small moment before looking back at Larkon.

"Does it surprise you both?" He asked.

"Um uh I guess a little. We haven't had much chance to study how warriors are and fight since we've always been here in Stormwind in the Church of the Light. Never been outside the city." Alura answered.

"Not everyone can do it, and I had Captain Jorden to thank with to have such ability. You can ask him if you want on how it works." He said, before looking back at the courtyard. "The courtyard, it's differs from ours, it's...quite less gruesome."

"Well it's because this is open to anyone who wishes to perfect their talents. It's not something that's forced or required like it is in the Guard. As such that's why it doesn't look as bad as it does at your place no offense." Kinar answered.

Larkon chuckled. "You'll be surprised that a broken arm or a broken leg would be considered a child's play in our racks. But nonetheless people can learn from it." He said as still stared at the few casters.

"Speaking of that. We know someone who used to serve in the guard a while back as a Hunter Marksman. He retired a little while back but owns an Inn now. Perhaps you two could have something in common." Alura suggested.

Kinar looks at Alura. "You're going to take him to old Thark?"

"Yes, why does it concern you?"

"Nothing it's just you know old Thark when it comes to anyone one of us bringing in guys. Sure when we talk about them to him he doesn't mind but after meeting them he tends to get...well you know over protective of us." Kinar answered.

"You mean our fellow priests that we both helped because they wanted to know more of Stormwind?" Alura stated before adding. "He would just be fine." She said as she gestured at him.

"Yeah but then there've been those incidents where he claims he saw some people just staring at us and then he pulls out his rifle and starts shooting at them. Or that time that one guy just asked to say hi to you and Thark immediately threw his axe towards him. And then that other time when a group of people got drunk once and they just asked for our names and Thark started an all out brawl in which he beat everyone up and we had to bail him out of prison." Kinar reminds.

Larkon narrowed his brow in concern and slight fear. "Do you think it would be a good idea for me to meet him?" He asked concernedly.

"Oh Kinar is just over reacting on what Thark does. Don't worry you'll be fine we won't let him hurt you." Alura answered.

"If we can." Kinar sighed.

Alura gently took Larkon's hand and started leading him out the courtyard of the church with Kinar following them.

* * *

Jorden made his way over to the Commander Moira's tent. He had a serious look in his eyes that made whoever knew him back away out of his way. Most of them gulped because they knew this meant Jorden may start something. When he entered he saw Moira just sitting in the chair of his office looking through a map planning battle strategies. When Moira noticed him he just looked back at the map.

"Captain can't you see I am very busy at this moment?" Moira asked.

"We need to talk." Jorden said.

"We already talked regarding the soldier what else more is there to discuss about him?"

"Perhaps how you were a little too cruel on your punishment on him seeing how he almost died the other night from that?" Jorden stated seriously.

Moira chuckled and smiled maliciously. "And he didn't die, so what else would be the discussion Captain. Or should I remind you that I can have you reported for letting that soldier of yours too close of a comfort with the daughter of Vindicator Joven?"

"Sir she just wanted to help heal him after finding out what happened and like any other priestess she's just guiding him through spiritual guidance. Nothing is going on with them." Jorden answered.

Moira picks a paper beside him and lets his eyes hover over it for a moment before going back to the captain. "That's not what I heard in the reports soldier, her spending the night with him alone in that room does not equate 'nothing going on with them," He stated coldly. "And beside, be it as it may, what does that woman want with him?"

"She volunteered to stay watch over him and I made sure nothing happened as I kept watch myself personally in the shadows. And all she wants is just to help him spiritually, nothing else sir." Jorden corrected.

"Keeping watched doesn't mean letting him take out to some dates CAPTAIN." He said as his voiced raised at the end while he turned back his back against him and wrapped the map into a scroll. "She will find a better man in me than to that filth." He said with a little bit of anger.

"I will repeat myself, she is just helping him with spiritual guidance so there is no dates to be found. But what does she matter to you? You do know you can't touch her because of her priestesshood and her position as Joven's daughter." Jorden reminded him with a serious calm tone.

With the words he just heard from him, the general snapped. "Did I ask if I wanted to touch her CAPTAIN?!" He shouted as paper was flying by as he thrown it at him.

"No sir but according to some reports I got that were personally written by Paladin Joven himself. You felt like you had the right to grab her arm in a harsh manner during the banquet. Joven witnessed this and was not very pleased with what he saw, therefore he wrote it in his report. And considering how I have fought alongside Joven in the past, he personally instructed me to...keep an eye out for any unnecessary advancements like the one from the banquet." Jorden replied.

Moira exhaled loudly as he bit his lip in anger. "You better watch your words captain, I will not tolerate you accusing me and tarnishing my name." He warned.

"With all due respect sir. You would be the one tarnishing your own name. Sir." Jorden did a small bow before heading off.

Moira watched him leave his tent, his eyes was flashing in controlled anger, his nose exhaled loudly like an angered bull as he breath was intensely heavy. Everything that was in his mind is about him, and him alone for now that would serve only to anger more and to snap and yell in anger as he thrashed the papers in front him. The maps, the report, was torn to shreds as his hands easily ripped them apart, before finally calming down.

"You will regret this Jorden. That I promise." He inhaled and exhaled loudly before muttering once more. "Soon, it will be soon."

Looking over at his mess, he simply tossed it all into a trash and brought up back up reports and maps to continue his assigned strategic plan for the King.

* * *

Meanwhile, Larkon, Alura, and Kinar continued to walk peacefully down the streets of the city. Having a conversation to kill time while they made their way there.

"So how did you two end up joining the church and becoming priestess?" Larkon asked.

"I joined the church during the point of experiencing discrimination. Even though I'm still a human just affected of my father's curse as a worgen. I was labeled as a beast by many, but I found refuge in the church who accepted me as who I am." Kinar said.

"But you're also a Druid." Larkon also asked next.

"Yes, I am a druid, my mother was one of a kind, her ability to commune with nature brought my attention when I was just a very young girl, and it influence me to become like her, a druid." She said.

"But I thought being a Druid went against some of the teachings of the church." Larkon asked curiously.

"It will only be against the teachings if one would consider a deity to worship on. I am not like most." Kinar said to him softly.

"I see, you just practice the ways of the Druids but follow the path of the Light." Larkon mentioned.

"That's how it points."

Larkon then looked towards Alura. "What about you Priestess Alura?"

"I have been a priestess for a long time. Perhaps my priestesshood has spanned for two hundred long years. We draeneis have been followers of the Light since the beginning of our history." Alura answered.

"So what made you choose to become a Priestess?" Larkon asked next curiously.

"A choice that I have forgotten so long ago. But still, I did not regret to be a priestess even though I no longer remember why I have become one." She answered.

Larkon whistled. "That's a long time."

"Two hundred and sixty years of age, my life went and would go on for a long, long time." She said softly as they walked down the street, passing by some civilians.

Before long the three soon arrived at the Bonebeard Inn.

"Well this is the place. Bit of warning Larkon whatever you do don't give him the idea that you may be staring at us or anything he may think it could be perverted otherwise you'll be in trouble." Kinar whispered to Larkon.

Almost on cue they heard a huge commotion going in the Inn like there was a huge brawl going on. Larkon sweated nervously as the three entered. When they went inside they saw Thark smashing one of his table chairs at two humans in the face to send them across the room.

"Aye want to steal my drinks without payin' hu?" Thark yelled as he pounced onto the two humans and started beating them up with his bare fists.

Everyone else in the bar was so scared of the scene they started running out for their lives.

"Aye come back here and pay fer those ye louzy sons of jiffies!" Thark yelled as he chased after them and threw stuff at their direction. "Aye catch ye blouts again without paying I'll shove me boom stick up yer arses and pull the trigger to turn ya all into fireworks up in the sky!" He yelled out at them.

They decided to just run for their lives, speeding past the three who was just looking at them in disbelief of what they had just saw in a little span of time. Thark looked at the three, whom he recognize the two ladies save for the the other.

"Aye Alura and Kinar! Didn't know ye two lassies would have the ale to visit ma inn!" Thark greeted as he approached them in open arms, never bothering the mess and event that just happened earlier.

"Hello Thark sorry if we're dropping by at a bad time for you." Kinar answered.

"Ah never mind that lass I'm always dealin with these blouts trying to steal me drinks without payin for them." Thark soon noticed Larkon. He walked up to him and looked right up to him in the eyes. "And who are ye supposed to be lad?" He asked seriously that put a small chill in Larkon's spine.

"He's the friend that I talked to you about the other day. See the the bandages around his body?" Alura intervened as she let him look at his wounds, with Larkon raising his tunic for them to see.

Thark crossed his arms. "Aye so you be the poor lad who got beaten unfairly by that son of an unnamed goat, Moira? Tharkam Bonebeard is the name but ye can call me Thark for short lad." Thark mentions.

"You knew General Moira?" Larkon asked as he raised his brow.

"Aye more than knew that man, I have been badgerin on him ever since I got me arse off him." Thark said, but then changed the subject to not go any further. "Aye come on ya three, get inside now as a prepared me drinks." He motioned for them to enter as he walks up to the counter to prepare.

Larkon, Alura, and Kinar took a seat closeby while Thark prepared for some drinks. "I know what the lasses want but what can I get for ye Lad?"

"Just a simple cup of water would do thank you." Larkon answered that made Thark raise his eye on him.

"Aye ye scared fer a little drink lad huh? Why ye comin here and have the same drink with these two lasses beside ye?" He commented as he pulled himself up for his eyes to glare at him.

"Well sir I got guard duty later at the castle and I need to stay sober." Larkon answered truthfully. "Don't want to give Moria anymore reason to be angry with me already."

The dwarf sighed. "Aye because ye mentioned about saving yerself from that basterd, Aye your out of the hook laddie, so a water fer ye also." He said.

Thark fixed up three cups of water and a cup of ale for himself. He walked over and brought the three their drinks and sat down with them.

"So how do you know Alura and Kinar?" Larkon asked after thanking Thark for the water and taking a sip.

"Tsch, I know them a lot more than ye laddie. Aye, Alura here came into ma shop with tears in her eyes, muttering something about someone not into her coronation night. She had couple of me drinks, and it's not everyday people of her race comin in ma shop crying." He answered as he looked and gestured at Alura, smiling.

Larkon looked at Alura for a moment feeling sad for her. Alura must've sensed his sadness and gave him a warm smile to let him know she's alright now.

"And back when I was first joining the Church. It was the only place I wanted to ever be at, since I kept on being discriminated wherever I went. Alura thought I needed to get out some more so she dragged me here once to interact outside the Church and that's how I met Thark here." Kinar answered next.

"Aye that would be…...eight years ago….that would be right ey lass?" Thark asked as he gets a mug and rubs it with his same worn out cloth.

"Correct Thark." Kinar answered as she took a sip of water.

"Wow, sounds you three are very close with each other." Larkon commented as laid back in his seat a little.

"They be like ma family laddie, though Alura had more years than me, she still has a heart and mind of a young lass, Draenei's, had the age yet not mind." Thark said to him with a chuckle as Alura softly slapped the edge his nose for his comment about Draenei's not having the mind.

Larkon chuckled a little to himself as he watched and listened to them talk about Draenei's not having the mind.

"So Laddie, how long have ye been in the guard?" Thark asked as he gulped down his mug of ale within a few short moments.

"I have been with the guard for fourteen years but I only served the guard for only nine years." He answered.

"Aye see, so ye were brought into it at a young age. I just signed up back when I joined." Thark mentioned while he started cleaning his next mug with the old cloth.

"I see that you're a veteran in these kinds of experiences." Larkon said.

"Aye, I was lad. Fer a good twenty four years before retiring. About damn time too because that was when they assigned that basterd Moira as the new general of the Guard." Thark looked inside the mug he was cleaning before putting it away.

"Remember Thark, you shouldn't be cursing in front of a Priestess." Alura playfully corrected.

Thark sighed. "Yes lass."

"I had my experiences with General Moira. Though a very arrogant man, he knows how to lead." Larkon said.

"My Arse, pardon me language lassies. That lad only got general because he was born into it. He hadn't busted his tail off like some of us grunts had to." Thark corrected. '"That and he killed a fine young lad around the day close to me retirement simply because he went patrol and some gold gone missin."

"Someone got killed by him? How so?" Asked Larkon curiously, trying to gain more information about this uncovered events.

"The fine young lad was a rookie and was allot like ye. He was to guard this gold but went patrolling to cover more ground. Some thieves came and stole the gold. And that little prick Moira had the young lad whipped with forty five lashes just for leaving his post and getting the couple of pieces of gold missing. Aye the poor lad didn't survive the night." Thark answered with a slight sad sigh. "And Alura here saw that ye had the same ordeal he experienced. Knows how to lead my arse." He said angrily as he placed the mug back at the counter with a loud bump.

Larkon was silent for a long moment once again. After hearing this from Thark and learning more of his general it began to scare him. Making him realize why Jorden wanted him to take the sewer post.

"Did you not report this or?-"

"Aye the first we thing we did after was to report his arse for that young lad's death, and what would be the response from council laddie?" He asked seriously.

Larkon fell silent as he said.

"Aye the council says what Moira said was legal under the constitution, and it was the incompetence of the healers why the young laddie died. This is the truth lad about today's society, the rich wins." Thark said.

Larkon remained silent for a moment staring at his reflection in his cup of water. He took another sip to finish it and sat it back down. "Thank you for the drink. I best be off now I'll be needed back to the Castle soon."

"It would be best to be on our way also Thark, thank you for the drink." Alura said, as she, Kinar and Larkon stood up from their seats, and be on their way.

"Aye lad, can I talk to ye fer a moment?" The dwarf asked as he gestured for the two ladies at the door for them to wait.

"Sure thing…" before he finished he felt something between his crotch area. Looking down he saw Thark holding a flintlock pistol between his legs.

"Ye are a fine laddie and I wish the best for ye. However I see those lassies as me own daughters. And if I sense ye breedin pole getting any arousing I will string ye up by ye two baby makin factory orbs, until they turn black fer me to use as target practice for me twenty-gage pump-action no mean boomstick. Guaranteed to make sure ye not be having any kids in the near or far future." Thark warned with a smirk on his face.

Larkon gulped down to reply his answer. "Yes sir…." He said as Thark moves the gun away from his crotch and let him be on his way.

Larkon proceeded and met up with the two.

"Are you alright?" Asked Alura and Kinar in unison.

Larkon didn't bother to reply.


	6. Sneak in Right There

Later at night deep in the library of the Church of Light. The Priests and Paladins put the scrolls they were reading up back in the book shelves to turn in for the night. When they had all the scrolls nicely rolled and put back, they exit the library while turning the torches off. The silence came as they left, the night drifts it winds down at the library as the sound of a vent opening from the ceiling was heard and came in the Rogue troll, Kor. Proceeding to his mischief as a thief, he swiftly moved inside without a sound.

"Oi, dis gon be easy mon." He commented quietly as he slowly and silently climbed down from the roof and into the quiet room. His ability of seeing through the night was made use, and used it to light up a torch from the side of the wall to lighten the rooms for him to easily detect his target.

"Now mon, if I was something valuable where would I be kept?" He asked himself quietly as he walked down the library looking for anything that could help stick out. Just anything that could help him find the thing he was looking for.

He trekked down the the library slowly, using the ability of a rogue to make himself as quiet as the night's breeze, and as swift as the wind, all in one. "Ahm sure it won't be here, dem alliance folks ain't gon be stupid." He whispered to himself when his eyes scanned the whole shelves.

A door leading to the outside caught his attention, which made him think that It won't probably be in the library. He smiled underneath his mask and slowly tread over there. Trying to twist the knob of the door, yet it won't budge due to being locked tight, as tight as a rock. "Of course mon, they ain't stupid." He said, before remarking and praising himself. "Yet I ain't stupid also." He whispered, chuckling as he took a clip out from his pocket to pick the lock. "Time fo the old pick lockin!"

As silently as he could, he gently inserted the click inside the locked door knob. Moving it ever so carefully to both not make a sound and break the clip. He placed the left side of his head on the door gently. Taking notice of certain sounds he heard while picking the lock. "Whatever they got in here must be valuable mon. The door hadn't been open fo a long time." He said to himself.

He soon heard footsteps coming down the stairs closeby and quickly stops what he was doing. Quickly he vanishes into the darkness of the library and hid close by to see who was approaching.

A draenei with white hair entered from the other door, and closed it behind her, taking notice that the torches were still aflame. She looked around, trying to see if anyone is still here in the room this late at night. "Hello? Is anyone here?" She called out, yet only to be responded with sheer silence. She shook her head with a sigh and proceeded into the library.

"Oh mon, them be draenei have to comin ma moment. At least she got dem some nice tits and ass to her." Says Kor perversely as he smiled under his mask and watched her every movement. "Be gon good opportunity to tap dat nice jiggly ass, but that ain't ma goal." He regretfully said.

He watched carefully as the Draenei walked around in the library to put the fire on the torches out with a wet cloth in her hand. When the room became pitch dark, she sighed to herself and proceeded to walk away out of the library.

Kor watched her leave silently until she was out of sight. Once done, he quietly moved back to the door he was trying to open and continued without the light of the room. "Guess A'm gon have to do this without some light."

He continued to pick the lock for another few minutes, bothering him why it took so long. "Oh mon, ma hand be tired from all this pickin, what kind of a knob them be anyway?" He annoyingly remarked, before he finally clicked the opening he needed. "About dem time."

He puts the clip back in his back pocket and slowly turned the doorknob to open the door as quietly as he could. Almost in an instant he felt heavy dust from within the locked room escape and blow into his eyes a little. "Damn, this place been locked up fo a long time."

He wiped his eyes and proceeded inside the room. It was hard to see even with his trained eye sight. Nevertheless he was able to see well enough that it was another section of the library. One that contained hundreds of various scrolls, books, and maps that appeared to have not been touched for a long while.

"Ah got ma self a jackpot. And be damn mon, dem alliance folks could use a little spring cleanin fo this room." He said as he entered. With the night vision of his eyes, he was able to make out the clearing of the library and locate the torches. "They can't possibly see me from here right now. But best I not take da risk incase sexy Draenei come snoppin back down here." He said as he took a match from his pocket, and began to approach the torches.

Improvising, he only took a little of the oil inside the lamps, wiped it on a wrapped piece of cloth on a stick, and make a small little torch of his own. With some light, he started looking around the old dusted section of the library. Seeing almost everything covered in dust. He searched around until he found an old chest at the very far end of the room. With a statue of Anduin Lothar over it.

Carefully, Kor moved over to the chest close to the statue and inspected. Seeing that it was twice as more protected and locked then the door was. "Wow, what ever you got they don't want others getting hu mon?"

Kor kneeled down and pulled out his clip and started pick locking the chest. "Oh mon, debe hard to pick lock, wa de type of lock can't be pick." He said as he observed the strange lock. "Needed some key to close in da show." He then stood up and walked away from the room to look for it. He went to the door were Alura went in from, and pick locked it effortlessly. "De be easy locks in ma night." He said as he slowly trudged through the hallway quietly.

A room of the High Priestess, Laurena, garnered his curiosity and went on to quickly pick lock it. It didn't take long for the troll to hear the sound the click, indicating an opened door. "Alright, de be easy." He said as he went inside and closed the door behind his back, before proceeding to look for the key. The priestess was just sleeping quietly on the mattress of her bed. Kor looked over her and just commented. "Damn, de be wasting beautiful ladies with de vows of chastity." He commented quietly.

Quietly he looked around her room for anything that could indicate something of high value. He noticed a small little chest behind the mirror of her desk. He moved over to the desk, carefully moved the mirror aside and began pick locking the small chest. It didn't take him too terribly long to get it opened, however to his surprise, when he opened it, all he found was a part of a key.

"Eh? Ede be stupid with all these things mon?" He quietly shouted in disbelief as he held on it, realizing that he was a little bit loud. He quickly silenced himself and proceeded to pick the key up.

With a little bit of moving the mirror and closing the chest back to normal, all things were back as they were supposed to be. He inspected the piece of key to get better look at it. It didn't take him long to figure out the grand scheme behind the key piece and the locked chest from earlier. He tossed it in the air a little and caught it perfectly before quietly moving out of Laurena's room.

He twisted the knob of the door and then went outside slowly before closing the door behind him in absolute silence. With the thought in mind on where the next key was held, he immediately went to the room of the first who comes into his mind. He trudged through the hallway while blending into the darkness, the silence and the night was making it easier for him to escape undetected, and he will do so without incident.

He reached the room he was looking for. "Loa'd Grayson Shadowbreaka." Kor reads as the leaned in close to Grayson's door "Damn, dem humans have a badass name fo dem." Carefully he peeked through the keyhole, finding that Grayson was still awake busy writing a message on his office desk. Seeing a similar small chest right next to the ink jar he was using to write the letter.

"Ah hell mon." Kor groaned as leaned down on the ground a little and thought for a moment. Reaching for his back pocket he pulled out another small bomb. Carefully turning around he rolled the small bomb under the door to roll under beneath Grayson without him noticing. Once it stopped in motion, it released a powerful sleeping gas that from just one wiff, knocked Grayson out into a deep sleep "Ah, me poppas traditional sleeping bomb so does work.". It was around that time Kor finished pick locking Grayson's door. He carefully walked over to the small chest, picked locked it, and retrieved the last key part.

Kor cleaned up the mess quickly, closed the chest, and then patted Grayson on the face a little. "Sweet dreams mon." he chuckled as he exited Grayson's room and closed the door behind him.

As Kor made his way quietly down the hallway to backtrack to the library, that was when he noticed a bedroom door still slightly open. He peeped in to see the same attractive white haired draenei from earlier ago. Now changed into a simple light pink nightingale and deeply asleep under her covers of her bed.

Kor looked around to see if anybody was around awake or asleep, and was met with the assurance that he was alone. With a grin escaping his lips, he entered and slowly made his way on to the sleeping beauty. When he was just beside her, his hands reached down to the locks of her hair and bended his body down forward for it to close in his nose. With a soft but deep inhaling of her scent, he smiled. "Ah mon, dat be one the most nicest smell a have ma nose on." He stated quietly and takes out a knife from his pocket. "Ah be needin a souveneir fo that." He said as his hands grip at the short end of her hair, and with his other to cut the locks. With a small and quiet action, her hair falls down as at least three inches of the small locks of her hair was cut, leaving a barely noticeable uneven end.

Kor even dared to caress the cheeks of the white haired draenei. "Ah have yo a good night ma lady." He said as his touched made the sleeping priestess groan in narrow discomfort. With a smile the troll made his way back to his goal.

Kor back tracked his way all the way back to the second closed up room of the library he had left earlier. Now standing in front of the chest, he took the two pieces of the key and locked them together to make a full key. Kneeling down he gently inserted they key into the locked chest and in just one easy swoop, he opened the chest with little effort. Taking the key back apart, he opened the lid to the chest and coughed some more from the large amounts of dust that came out.

"Damn mon." he coughed as he tried waving the dust away. When it cleared he looked inside to see several books and maps that looked very old. Picking one book up and flipping through it gently, he nodded a little and looked at some of the maps. He nodded once more, took every book and map out of the chest and closed the chest.

Now that he had what he needed, he placed all the stuff in a large bag he carried, got up and moved outside of the closed off part of the library. Quietly closing the door behind him, Kor quickly made his way back to both Laurena and Grayson's room to return the keys back to where he had them. Once done, he silently walked outside back in the library towards where he entered in from earlier. Taking the bag, he climbed back up to the ceiling and swiftly exited out.

* * *

Joven arrived to the Stormwind barracks as requested by Moira. However there were some other reasons to why he brought himself here also, and it regarded with Alura that whom he might hope he would visit inside the city, but yet his duties restrained him so.

He trekked down the halls of the barracks, with a slight change to his outfit. He still wore his Holy Warrior Plate Armor set safe for the helmet but now was wearing a Tabard of the Hand of Argus. Showing his membership and a ranking officer within the Hand of Argus, the elite among the Draenei. On the right of his back, he carried a longsword with a shimmering blue, crystal-like blade and a series of spikes at the bottom of the blade. The guard of the sword was black and extends only over the back of the blade. The grip of the sword was wrapped in a brown material with a red ribbon hanging from the pommel area.

As he moved along he noticed the other men of all races, be it Night Elves, Dwarves, his own race, humans sparred together, where a clash of wooden swords would be. He smiled to the unity between the other races. 'Unity does great things and would be greater.' Joven thought as he let himself pass by through the large hall.

A small building of whom he guessed Moira might be in garnered him to walk towards it. It seems he was right, as it looked to be a place where generals and officers would gather, as the maps was sprawled through the tables inside, a statue of armor beside the door and other people of whom recognized with higher rank conversing with the others.

Eventually he found Moira inside the the room with other high ranking generals just like him discussing strategies and plans on a huge map laid out on the table. He waited patiently for them to finish their plans and discussion. Coming to an agreement, they all shook hands with each other and started making their way out of the room. Moira was about to leave until he noticed Joven in the room.

"Lord Paladin Joven welcome, you missed a meeting we were having." Moira comments.

"I was busy at the moment. So, General, what is so important you had to drag me all the way from Exodar to come here?" Joven asked.

"It seems the delusions of the wizards would might be of concern to the people, and we would plan to ready for it whether it might be a threat or not." Moira answered as he gestured Joven to a table where the maps, information, history regarding the Dark Portal laid.

Joven complied and took a seat to look at everything on the table. Studying hard but fast, he nodded in agreement. "I see, General do you have an idea on why it must greatly garnered our attention?"

Moira pointed a picture of the structure to the Dark Portal, and observed it had three layers of magic. "The wizards I have entrusted did not disappoint me, and rightfully so they should not, they have discovered something else to of utmost importance regarding to it." Moira said as he took another structural blueprint of the Dark portal, which made the Paladin raise his brow in curiosity. "Look at here." He said pointing at the three layers of magic. "They say that the magic of the Dark Portal was unknown, but now they discovered the structure of it. Three layers they said, the first layer would be Teleportation, in which why we can safely go to Draenor through the portal, and second the Dimensional Link, into which the portal could go anywhere in the universe, yet it is still not been discovered how to be used of, and lastly…" Moira pointed at the third layer, which was a dark layer of moss like mass. "Timeline. They say that the last layer allows people to travel through a specific timeline in our history. Be it the Mountain Hyjal, Or be it when the Orcs invaded Stormwind, or….." He looked at the Paladin. "Or be it when they destroyed your people." He said without any regrets.

Joven looked at all the information with a calm emotionless face. However Moira could tell by the slight twitch of some brows and sweating a little, he could tell the Paladin was nervous if not scared.

"Has King Varian been alerted of this yet?" He asked with a calm tone to his voice.

"He has been informed, yet he does not yet know the concerns of the wizards." Moira answered.

Joven gently placed the maps and blueprints back down while he rubbed his face a little.

"What do they concern?" Joven asked once more.

Moira took out another blueprint, and it revealed that the layers were merging, as seen when there was a ray of color of each colliding. "They say that the layers are, merging, and they would assure to us that it should not be ignored, and I will answer to do so, for it will greatly be help the reputation as a General when I answer the call first." Moira said, with a little pride to his words as the smirked formed unto his lips.

Joven sighed a little. "Any word from our allies within the Horde? What do they think of this?"

"King Varian requested us to inform the Horde, and we the other generals to gather for a diplomatic meeting. Yet I honestly disagree why the King would hold allies with those brutes and the whores of those Blood Elves." Moira said with an insulting tone to his sentence.

"Considering the problem your wizards are concerned with we're going to need those brutes and blood elf whores, if that's what you speak of them General. If what you just said and told me is all true." Joven calmly tells him though it was evident that the Paladin was slightly annoyed to his insulting words about the Horde.

"Then that will be the matters of his hand Vindicator Joven, yet the credit due will be mine above all else." Moira said.

"I understand, but neither you, nor I, nor the Alliance will last without help from Thrall if the problem arises to be a threat of a massive scale." Joven mentions.

"Then you may wonder why I have informed you here Lord Joven, if the only thing we do here is to debate whether the Horde will be needed or not?" Moira questions.

"Of course I am curious, why have you informed me here?" Joven asked curiously as he layed back in his seat a little while looking towards Moira.

"It seems that the trust between the Humans and Draenei's have become stronger in the years. And in my confidence, whether or not it is possible, my mages have informed me that if were the portal and the layers of it's magic would merge completely. There would be a chance that we may see the Civilization of your people before it was all destroyed by the hands of those brutes." Moira informed him confidently.

Joven remained silent but nodded for him to continue.

"Then it would benefit your people for this information Lord Joven. I assume those regrets in many of the Vindicators of your people have not yet left." Moira continued.

Joven sighed again a little as his words became more of a riddle for him to ask. "Where are you heading with this General?"

"It would not get you anywhere General, I would just ask you regarding the matters, regrets and history, and would just ask you to inform your people. I assume your daughter might have witnessed it and you would gladly bear what she had saw. And I assume also that you left her crying in the happiest moments in her life." He answered as his tone was starting to take a toll on the Paladin.

Joven's eye twitched very slightly in infuriated emotion but he breathed softly through his nose and continued in his calm manner. "If it's okay with you general, I would prefer that we not talk about personal subjects. But you just want me to inform my people of this information, that would be all?"

Moira got up from his seat and Joven followed suit. "Yes that would be it Lord Joven, you may be free to do what you please." Moira said.

A moment later Lord Joven had his back turned and begins to walk towards the door. "Oh, Lord Joven may I ask a question?

Joven stopped where he was but did not turn around to face Moira.

"Though It regards to personal affairs, I would ask your opinion of your daughter befriending one of our men here in the barracks." Moira said

Joven did not move but did ask. "What about it?"

Moira smirked devilishly. "It seems it would be come of a concern, if they might take action that would be…..scandalous between the Church and the Military." He said, the maliciously smile never leaving.

Joven chuckled a little to Moira's words.

"Does it not concern you Lord Joven?" Moira asked, his smile now left.

"General, my daughter is not ignorant of such matters. She is very well aware of such outcomes and the many, many different laws from the Light and both of our races. And besides, she's most likely just to enlighten his soul of the enlightening words of the Light. So there's no concern to be found." Joven answers.

Moira shook his head. "We will see Lord Joven, you may go, I will no longer hold you here." He said.

"But if you are concerned for her just know I already have a friend of mine from the barracks keeping an eye on her for me. I presume he's already informed you of this information." Joven says before walking off.

Moira groaned a little knowing exactly that he was talking about Jorden. Remembering full well his last conversation with the Captain and how he told him of such news. He watched him leave as he went on to his business.

Jorden had his back on the wall, his arms crossed as he saw Joven pass by, he moved and had his body straight as he waited as if expecting him at this exact time. "I see that the talks between you and Moira have been civi." He stated.

Joven stopped a little but did not turn to face Jorden. "Mostly."

Jorden chuckled. "Mostly? Then he must have asked something that puts you to say that." He said before continuing. "If I guess, He asked a question that might circle between the two?" Jorden asked.

Joven remained silent for a moment before answering. "Keep an eye on him." Joven asked before proceeding to walk off.

Before Joven proceeded, Jorden stopped him with a question asked. "Moira or Larkon? I see that it bothered you." He stated as he asked.

Joven turned to look at Jorden slightly. "Is that the soldier's name?"

"That you know. And they both have yet to have anything that would concern you, I spoke to one of them myself."

Joven looked at him for a moment before proceeding to walk away.

"Captain." Moira called over to Jorden. "A moment please."

Jorden noded and walked into the building as Moira asked him. "You called sir?"

"Yes, I just want to have a little chat about the task you are doing for Paladin Joven. That's all." Moira answered.

"And would that bother you to ask that question?" Jorden countered.

"That would depend on your answers captain." Moira answered.

Jorden sighed but conceded. "Paladin Joven wanted me to look out for Alura during her visits in the barracks, ever since he heard about the INCIDENT when priestess Alura visited a mere guard to volunteer as a personal healer." He answered.

"Hu, but I thought you said it was because he didn't like how I grabbed her arm to try and correct her rudeness to me." Moira asked.

"Well, there are things that he wanted from me and that includes you, that no incident might happen between the priestess connecting you to the palace. It's been two weeks that happened General, the two have grown accustomed, there's nothing to worry. If you are concerned if the two might be too close to comfort that would lead to scandalous actions, then it is they who would take account for." Jorden said as he turned his back to him to follow Jorven on the way out.

Moira gently placed his foot in front of Jorden to stop him in his tracks. "I'm going to be forward with you. I find myself in a very serious situation regarding the Dark Portal issue and my next decisions for the next few weeks could affect everyone. So I would kindly appreciate it, if you would to not have your hands on my ass. Because I cannot afford any more problems going on, not with so much the issue we are all facing to be put at risk. Am I understood?" Moira asked very seriously as he gave him a serious evil eye.

Jorden just looked at the General closely for a reply. "If you want me to answer the call General, I'll be in my tent. But please General Moira, there are also other generals handling the situation." He said as he patted his shoulder on the way out. "It is…..noble yet…..relax and take a deep breath." He then made his way outside to meet up with Joven.

Moira watched him leave and just sighed and shrugged a little as he walked back to the building with the maps.

* * *

Alura slept peacefully in her bed, not realizing that it was early in the morning. It wasn't until she felt the rays of the sun touch her face when she stirred and woke up from her sleep. Groaning for more sleep, she yawned tiredly and sat up from her bed. Taking the chance she stretched her arms and moved her white hair back. She yawned loudly as her morning eyes come to open. She stood up and approached the bathroom where she picked up a towel along the way for her to take a soft nice bath.

She twist the knob of the door and proceeded to the inside to take her bath. She began to disrobe her nightingale, the fabric elegantly falls down from her body, leaving her only to her undergarments alone. She rubbed her arms a little before reaching behind her back to untie the strings to her top before slipping it off her chest. She sighed in relief when she felt her large breasts free from the garment, jiggling very slightly upon removal. She then proceeded towards her bottoms.

With a pull of her fingers, the undergarment slides down from her, exposing her womanhood, and making her skin bare to the soothing atmosphere. She sighed in relaxation as her she walked towards the small tub, just big enough for her entire body to fit in. Her hands reached down the knob of the pipe, she twisted it, and then water started to shower upon her. A moan escaped her as the water tackled her, washing away what dust that was imprinted on to her light blue skin.

She smiled as her hands reached for the soap that rested on a stool beside the small tub, and began to rub her body with it. The smell of its fresh fragrance filled her nostrils softly as the soap came in contact with her beautiful large mounds. She giggled softly when she felt the bubbles tickle her chest and leaned forward to let the soothing warm water wash the soap off her breasts while she continued her washing at her stomach.

The hand that held the soap eventually continued down to her hips, washing the dust or germs or whatever else that might be on her beautiful sky blue skin. Eventually the other hand rubbed the soap to its palm and softly reached to the end of her tail.

She slightly moan at the touch of her hand to her tail and slightly stroke down to clean it thoroughly. Her mouth came to clamp down her lips as she tried to resist the sensitivity of it's nerves. After a few moments of stroking it down the stretch, she finished with a blue blush on her cheeks.

Placing the soap back and taking a small bottle of shampoo harvested from the native flowers of Elwynn, she squirted the heavenly smell of it to wash in her hands and rinsed it into her long beautiful white hair. She closed her eyes and hummed a gentle tone to herself as she washed her hair with the fresh soap and warm water. Bubbles formed as the fragrance bloomed into the atmosphere the smell of it's flowers affected her, and importantly her beautiful white hair. More bubbles formed as she slowly smothered her hair with it, smiling as some of it contents dribbled down to her face.

Eventually she stood up and straightened her hair as the water washed down the soap of the shampoo. Her hands clamped down on her hair and slowly trailed down along the way to straighten it, but when her palms came in contact at the tip of her hair, she noticed the slightly uneven end of it. Stopping for a small moment, she gently grabbed the small uneven edge tip and looked at it.

"Hu, I wonder how that happened?" She asked herself while observing it a little closer. With a small shrug, she finished rinsing and cleaning her hair before turning the knob to cut the shower off. Stepping out of the tub, she grabbed the towel hanging on the wall and started drying herself off. It only took her a few moments before the feeling of dripping water disappeared from her. She covered herself with the towel while bringing the nightingale and her undergarments along with her outside.

She tossed her night clothes back on her bed and walked to her dresser to pull out a fresh set of another set of fresh undergarments. Unwrapping her towel she quickly puts on her bottoms, making sure to carefully slip her delicate tail through the tail hole. After which the top didn't require much to put on like her tail required. With them on she went and got dressed back in her normal Priestess outfit she always wore.

Sometime later after finally getting dressed and washed. Alura made her way over out towards the church where she found Kinar already dressed in her outfit but in her Worgen form. She looked exhausted as he had her head down laying on a table.

"Morning Kinar." Alura greeted her close friend.

"Hey…." Kinar responded tiredly.

"What happened to you?" Alura asked taking notice of her friend not looking all bright.

"I couldn't sleep at all last night. There was this stench I mean I smelled something really, really bad like it made the sewage smell like soap. I mean it made me almost puke. And to make things worse."

Kinar suddenly got up, sat on her butt on the ground and started scratching her neck with her foot. "The fleas are back." She groaned while itching.

"Well you wouldn't have fleas if you bathe like I do." Alura corrected.

"I do bathe but these fleas don't quite." She howled.

"Then why not stay in your human form?"

"Because I like my Worgen form, its soft and comfy." She answered and she then started gnawing on her paw slightly.

"I assume the fleas would only affect a worgen? Why not change into a human for a while and perhaps they would eventually go away." Alura suggested.

"It doesn't matter if I turn into a fish they won't quite or go away. Do you happen to have a spell or something that get's rid of them?" Kinar asked while finishing her scratching.

"A spell that would suggest that you should be in a human form and take a bath so they would be easier rid them from your hair on your head rather than your entire body." Alura said.

"Fine." Kinar changed back into her human form and started walking off to her room. "I'm going to take a quick shower myself. Be back in just a few minutes."

"I'll wait on you." Alura answered as she took a seat to wait on her friend.

* * *

Larkon groaned as he and the man who gave him romance advice walked down the streets. Both of them were fully dressed in their usual Stormwind Guard uniforms, while Larkon still had his helmet off.

"Oh I don't believe I ever told you my name. My name is Durel, and if I must ask how are things going?" The guard just suddenly asked and told Larkon.

"Well Durel we are about to get ourselves in a mess because I know exactly where this road is leading and already got an idea of what's going on." Larkon said with a groan.

"Sir?"

"You'll see when we get there." Larkon sighed.

"Okay, um, so did you find that right woman I told you about?" Durel suddenly asked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Have you seen any women that caught your eye? I saw the Draenei at the barracks who helped you out, perhaps could she be the one?" Durel asked once more.

Larkon chuckled. "Yeah right. She's a priestess and a Draenei and Vindicator Joven's daughter. Besides I always seem to have an eye for either human females mostly and the occasional night elf female here and there." Larkon answered.

"Heh it matters not if one would be a draenei, and elf or anything. Like I said, anything can happen, a few days ago I saw a high elf running down through elwynn with her hands on hold with a human like us. I also saw a gnome pass by with a Night Elf as his girlfriend." Durel chuckled as he said. "It seems funny to think of… gnomes and Night elves."

"If you're a fan on interracial couples then how did you end up with a human girlfriend?" Larkon asked.

Durel raised his brow "Aye did I say that? I said that It doesn't matter who will anyone to be with, be it an Orc with a human, a Dwarf with a gnome, a Draenei with a worgen." He answered

"Didn't answer my question though, how did you get a human girlfriend when there were other pretty girls of different races?" Larkon asked.

"She came up, and I took the opportunity." He replied.

"And you found her to be more attractive than the others?" Larkon asked next.

"She's beautiful, like those High Elves, except without a pointy ears, you know? Cute pink cheeks, a nice smile, blue eyes and blonde hair. Top quality I say, and I am excited to be marrying her, and would be more excited when the kid comes up." He said..

"Kid? Wait you two are already expecting a child?" Larkon asked a little surprised.

"Yeah!" He looked at him. "Didn't one of the barracks tell you of the news?"

"No I didn't hear anything regarding that news. Though the Captain did say something that involved that. Guess he was telling the truth. But still congratulations. Got any names planned yet? Larkon asked with a smile.

"If it is a son I would like to call him…...Raphael, if it is a daughter I would like to name her…...Esilia." He answered, mumbling.

"That's good, how far along is your fiance expecting?"

"Just recently like….two weeks ago when she began vomiting." He answered.

Larkon noded. "So, fiance to be married to soon and a child to be a father for later. I'm pretty sure that's going to make you very busy. Will you be able to find time for them with you being a member of the guard?"

"Eight hours as a guard from six AM to two AM." He answered, before continuing a statement. "I've got more than enough hours to make time for them."

Larkon noded as they continued to make their way down the streets. Eventually they come across a large mansion like building. The two stared at the front door for a moment as Larkon walked up.

"Who lives here?" Durel asks.

Larkon knocked on the door a little. "Hello, Stormwind Guard, we got reports that there was some commotion going on."

Larkon moved back and waited for someone to answer the door. When no one did he sighed. "What is that crazy old little bastard got himself into this time?"

"About time you showed up." The two heard someone call to them. Turning around both Larkon and Durel saw a Gnome behind them.

He was a three foot tall old Gnome with a petite built body. He had short white colored hair with a matching small white colored handlebar mustache and beard, and blue eyes. He wore a grey tunic shirt with matching trousers. Over this he wears a black sleeveless robes with a blue tool belt wrapped around his waist. For armor he wore blue armored gloves, boots, spaulders, and a headpiece that travels towards the chin with sharp edges.

Larkon crossed his arms and sighed. "Okay Finan what's going on this time?"

"That's Finan Wobblespindle to introductions to your friend here, Larkon. Now come on I need your help getting rid of some of these idiots." The gnome named Finan states as he started making his way to his backyard with the two guards following him.

"You have some serious issues regarding this, and what's up with you wearing your armor?" Larkon asked he and Durel walked through the much smaller door, having to bend their heads down. Finan lead them straight to his backyard to show a small group of protesters throwing stuff at his mansion.

"Do I even want to know?"

"So there I was with my usual scientific experiments minding my own business. Until these jackasses show up and start protesting that my experiments are a crime against nature. Now at first I tried to shoo them away until some nut job tossed an egg in my face. So naturally I am within my rights to blow them away with my magic. However I did not want to take the risk of my house being torn up and getting trouble with the law. So once again I have called you people to get these dumbasses off my property before I incinerate them!" Finan explained with a small hint of irritation and anger at the last sentence.

Larkon face palmed himself. "Let me guess…..the night elf community is the one messing with you?"

"I got Humans, I got Dwarfs, I got Night Elves, I even got Gnomes of my own race attacking my house right here. Just get them off my lawn before they ruin my prized house!" Finan complained.

"Alright." Larkon conceded, and gestured at Durel to follow as they both made their way to the small group of protesters. Though it was a backyard, it was more of a semi-scientific garden, with some rare plants being grown in an artificial manner.

He looked around and saw the young protesters whom he recognized from roaming around the town. The group of Nature lovers, compromising the majority were Night Elves, some humans, High Elves, Draeneis and even Gnomes and Dwarves, and the majority of them were females.

Larkon gestured his hands up to not to throw anything. "Alright people, what has he done now?" Larkon asked as he and Durel approached them.

"For over eight years Finan Wobblespindle has been allowed to corrupt and destroy precious pieces of nature's life with his barbaric experiments. Not once has anyone done anything to stop him and now that he will soon retire with honors for his achievements is a disgrace!" One Night Elf protester yelled, a woman, while the others cheered in agreement.

Larkon just entertained them, nothing serious to handle. "What would be of the crimes he would be guilty of as you accused?" He asked half-heartedly. He was so used on this kind of situations that he lost his seriousness.

"The crimes he has done is taking rare almost extinct plants away from their homes of nature to toy with and experiment with as he sees fit. He claims it's for his research for medical herbs or something. But we all know what he does. Dissecting and cutting them apart just to try and find if there is form of magic to behold within them." A young Human male answered.

"Alright young man, what would you want? You can report this to the authorities whether we know if his actions are legal." Larkon stated.

Finan apparently showed up and handed Larkon a small note. Larkon took it and looked at it. "And from this note here it says he has the permission as the nature of his work to study these plants. Personally signed and written by his Royal Highness Anduin Wrynn, Prince of Stormwind." Larkon handed back the note back.

"The prince can't just decided the fate of these plants no one does. That gnome is committing an atrocity while getting away with it all just because the Prince made it all legal for him to do so!" An older human female yelled.

"See what I'm dealing with?" Finan mentions.

"Alright, Since I have handled this situation before, Finan just grabbed me the legal documents." He said as he gestured to Finan.

Finan groaned and reached for his bag. It took him some moments but he gave Larkon all the legal documents.

Larkon opened up the scroll that confirms his work to be legal and reads it loudly. "Alright, according to his Majesty Prince Anduin of Stormwind, we have found that his work Finan Wobblespindle is legal to harvest and grow exotic plants according to the admission of the constitution of the law. It will assure that he openly promised that he has not and indeed will not experiment on the harvested plant life if it does not benefit the medicinal provisions or would not benefit advantageous magical provisions." Larkon reads aloud.

The crowd started booing Larkon and yell at him in anger.

"And here we go." Finan quotes before the crowd started throwing food and vegetables at him, Larkon and Durel.

"Alright, because you have substantially have vandalized the property of others, I will declare that Finan Wobblespindle have the right to file a complaint against the organization, and will have a hearing in the town hall for it to be closed down for causing mischief and vandalism." Larkon said as he approached them while shielding his face with his arms from the materials being thrown at him.

"Oh I'll do more than just file a complaint." Finan growled quietly to himself.

"And I would speak to the leader of the organization that anymore harm to be done against Finan Wobblespindle would be put to a closure that the organization will put to close without prior notice." Larkon said.

A night elf approached by, the woman who first complained. When she approached the crowd stopped and cease their throwing.

"Fine, we'll leave for now." She said slightly before she and the rest of the protesters left.

"Then for your obedience, the organization will be immune from all complaints until it would be proceeded with evidence. Thank you for the cooperation and have a good day."

"About damn time, anymore damage done to my house and I would have lost it and froze them all on the spot." Finan groaned as he looked at his dirty mansion. He shrugged and sighed annoyingly. "Just look at this mess, really, like I don't have enough to do as it is. I'm only a few months away to retiring peacefully after fifty years of this mishap and I can't even have that privilege."

"Alright, Finan that would be enough for our daily routine of continuous complaints from different sect of organizations from the Nature community." Larkon said as he gestured Durel to leave with him as he began to walk away.

"I have the permission of the royal family, the prince himself personally asked me to work on this for medical reasons. And I'm preserving the seeds and taking care of them. What else more do they want? What do I have to do to work in peace until I retire?" Finan complained.

"You can't stop tree huggers." Larkon said as they both walked away. Slowly peeling a piece of lettuce from his hair and tossing it aside.

Durel just wiped some tomatoes off his his armor and joined Larkon. "So was that what you meant from earlier sir?"

"Yes."

Larkon and Durel exited out of Finan's property to go and find an Inn for a quick bite to eat this early in the morning.


	7. I don't want to be left Alone

Alura and Kinar made their way back to the Bonebeard Inn to grab a quick bite of breakfast. Kinar was back in her Worgen form as she and Alura continued to walk down the streets.

"At least the fleas are gone." Kinar sighed as she rubbed her hair and fur.

"Finally, no longer would it bother in both of your forms?" Alura asked.

"Yeah, still I am curious to know where that awful smell from last night was coming from?" Kinar stated.

Alura looked at her in confusion. "Smell? I didn't smell anything even when I was awake and you were asleep." She said.

"I was somewhat asleep. The smell was so bad I had trouble even closing my eyes. And I could smell it all the way from the Library. It was like something like a troll have been washed out of the sewers and just payed a visit and stunk the place up. The Library still reeks with it, which is why I haven't gone there yet." Kinar mentioned.

"I don't know what are you saying Kinar to be honest, because I was at the library and the atmosphere was the same. Perhaps it could be that you were sleeping in your Worgen form? I heard they have such powerful sense of smell." Alura replied.

"That's true. Well it doesn't matter much I don't think. That smell will drifft away sooner or later. In the meantime I'm more in the mood for a bite to eat, I skipped dinner last night on accident while studying some scriptures for next week's service."

Alura grunted hearing her as her cue to warn her. "Kinar at least when you eat will you please be in your human form? Because I don't want you to eat like a wild hog with that large mouth full of serrated teeth of yours, like remember last time when the High Priestess ate with us? And besides you are still Human, it's just that you have a curse." Alura suggested as she warned.

"Alright, alright I won't eat in my Worgen form I promise." Kinar answered as she gave Alura a pinky square promise. "But I like my Worgen form, it's what helps me stand out as my own unique self, know what I mean?" She asked with a friendly smile.

"Yes but that doesn't mean you take your humanity away. Your mother is full human, your father, and brother bear the curse but usually is in the form of a human. And you in the other hand use it with norm."

"You'll be surprised, my father and brother like to always stay in their Worgen forms. And as for me I just like to switch every now and then but they never change into their normal forms. Dad says it's because his human form is weak while my brother says his Worgen form makes him quote on quote sexy." Kinar sighed.

"Yes, they say that but is usually cowering into their human form in front of other humans, they both are 'really strong' I say." Alura said chuckling in insult.

"Don't ever let my dad ever catch you telling him that. Remember how you first met him and his five reasons for you to never do anything that would upset either him or his family." Kinar says as she holds her hand up and one by one closes her fingers into a fist to show those five reasons.

Alura puts a finger on her chin, pondering as she closed her fist to count. "One would be…..to report me. Two would be…...to tell my superiors. Three would be….to tarnish my name. Four would be…..to spread lies about me. And lastly…..to use his rank to remove me from priestess hood. That was really frightening." Alura sarcastically said as she counted her fingers.

"That's not what he meant but I'm not gonna try and get into his military mind. Come on let's just get something to eat and discuss what we got to do today." Kinar suggested as they finally arrived at Thark's Inn.

The two entered to see a few people inside eating breakfast and such. Since there weren't many people inside they could tell that Thark just opened the place not too long ago. Thark was at the back corner behind the bar cleaning a mug with his old rag until finally noticing the two.

"Morning Thark." Kinar and Alura greeted the old Dwarf.

"Aye chap in the mornin to you lassies. What would be the food of the day fer ye?" Thark greeted back.

"The usual please." Alura requested as Kinar changed into her human form.

One of the customers, a human who looked like a gangster whistled perversely at both of the priestesses. Instantly a knife was flying by the priestess in full velocity and landed on the human gangster's hat where it carried to the wall.

"Aye I cut yer tongue fer that!" Thark shouted at him.

The man just went silent and just move to take his hat as his hands were shaking in fear and utmost relief that it didn't hit his head.

"Aye be back in a few minutes with ye orders lassies. But I'll have me eyes and ears open still." Thark warned as he went to the back kitchen to start preparing breakfast for Alura and Kinar.

"Hey Alura can I ask you something?" Kinar suddenly asked.

"What would it be Kinar?" Alura replied as they both found a table to sit on.

"Well it's just. The other day one of the people who came visiting the Church of the Light was an adventurer. You know one of those people who form a party and go out to explore and see the world more while going on quests and stuff. And it just for some reason got me thinking, what would it be like to do that. Go out on a quest or adventure like them with some friends to see more of Azeroth and all its many hidden secrets." Kinar mentioned.

"Does daily life tired you out Kinar?" Alura asked, narrowing her brow in a little bit of concern.

"No it's not that it's just. It's the same routine everyday here in the city of Stormwind. I just wouldn't mind getting out to explore other places for a change. You know try something new something fresh." Kinar answered.

Alura looked at the table as she thought of an answer. "I never really thought about it, usually my plan was that I would either be a priestess or just a regular who plans on settling down and have a family, but it seems the latter is never meant to be." She said to her.

"Your dad was an adventurer when he went and help fought the Lich King with other adventurers like him. Going on outside tasks for the Church and stuff." Kinar mentioned.

"Please don't mention him Kinar, I grew tired of the mention of my father, his achievements, and all those things." Alura said as she narrowed her brow.

"Sorry. I was just thinking that maybe if you wanted, you, me, and some others could go do tasks for the Church outside of Stormwind."

"I like to, but who would come with us? We don't know people who had veteran experience on wielding a sword, like be honest Kinar, would a priestess look good holding a four foot sword in both of her hands? And besides, there was someone who visited the church asking for the blessing of the priest and priestess for the future of her child she carried in her womb." Alura countered and stated back.

Kinar sighed a little somewhat disappointed. "Yeah your right. It was just a thought."

Thark eventually came out of the kitchen and walked over to their table to hand them both their order of breakfast. "There you go lassies, freshly cooked and made by yer's truly."

They both gladly accepted. "Thank you." The two said in unison ready to partake.

Thark nodded his head and walked back over behind the bar to continue washing some more mugs with his cloth. Just as the two Priestess finishes saying their silent prayers of thank you to the Light. Two Stormwind Guards came in, one of them they recognized to be Larkon.

"Bonebeard Inn?" Durel asked Larkon.

"Yeah just found this place. It's pretty nice but be warned the owner is scary dwarf." Larkon answered while warning Durel at the same time.

Durel brushed off his warning. "Naah, I had my fair share of dwarves, remember those brothers back at the camp who usually finishes their shift smelling like ale?" He jokingly asked.

"Trust me, this Dwarf makes those those Dwarfs look like ants." Larkon wanted.

"Best listen to the young lad laddie. I may not look like much outside but I got enough experience to whip your arse into shape and humiliation if ye step out line in here." Thark called back at where he was.

"Language Thark." Alura corrected.

"Yes ma'am." Thark groaned.

Larkon looked at both of them in amazement and surprise. "Oh, Alura, I didn't expect to meet you here." He said.

"Morning Larkon, me and Kinar usually come here in the mornings for breakfast." Alura greeted.

"Come on join us, you two look like you could use some good company. And...what smells like rotten vegetables?" Kinar asked.

"Oh that's...that's a long story titled the exciting life of a Stormwind Guard." Larkon sighed as he and Durel pulled up a seat next to the Priestesses.

"So what can I get ye two young lads?" Thark called to them.

"Just the usual Thark, and same for the new guy." Larkon answered back, and puts his attention back at the priestess. "If you ask, the Inn has been my stay for me to eat, since you both introduced me to him two weeks ago." He said.

"The usual coming right up." Thark entered back into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the two Stormwind guards.

"Oh Larkon! You are an experienced veteran wielding a sword right?" Kinar immediately asked out from the random.

"Um….I am, but why ask?" Larkon responded.

"I wonder if you have experienced a little bit of life as an Adventurer." Kinar mentioned.

"I have been, from time to time. Went to the Duskwood for special patrols and all that, or handle some gnolls that threatened people. Sometimes encountering someone from the Horde faction that ended in a little bit of skirmish and all that but all ends the two running from each other." He replied before looking back to Durel. "Ain't that right Durel? Life as an adventurer."

Durel looked at him. "Nothing special, usually I just go to Elwynn to get some few extra bits of gold from request from merchants." He said.

Kinar smirked a little and softly nudged her shoulder to Alura while she was taking a bite from her breakfast.

"Quit it please Kinar." Alura whispered softly, low enough not to be heard from the Stormwind Guards.

"Maybe these guys could accompany us, what do you think?" Kinar whispered just as softly back to her.

"I don't know Kinar, maybe these two might have some work to do, it's best we shouldn't bother them." Alura answered.

"Never hurts to ask."

"Ask what?" Durel asked.

"I was wonder-we I mean…..we were wondering if you two could accompany us in showing a little bit of life as an adventurer….." Alura shyly asked.

Larkon raised one of his brow in a little bit of surprise. "That could work. I won't be having my shift as a Palace Guard this day and the next two, so I will be free for days." Larkon said before turning his head to Durel to ask. "How about you Durel, you up for it?"

"Sorry, I'm taking my wife to the healer later today for some medical herbs to help with the baby, and we're going to visit our families tomorrow to make arrangements for the marriage. But don't let me spoil any fun, go on without me." Durel answered.

"Wait, Is your fiance golden blonde, blue eyed, short and quite elf like features?" Alura suddenly asked.

"She's human but yes that's her." Durel answered.

"Oh congratulations on the baby!" Alura cheered as she shooked his hand with both of hers vigorously. "She visited the church the other day asking for the blessings of the priest and priestesses for her child in the future, and indeed she had it." She happily said.

"Oh really, oh that's right she did tell me she was going to do that. And damn I forgot, I got to go right now, I'll see you later Larkon." Durel answered before getting up and walking off.

Around that time Thark came back with Larkon and Durel's orders only to find Durel gone. "Aye! where did the other lad go?"

"Oh he had to rush off to his wife for some family matters." Larkon answered.

Thark sighed and set his plate down. "I guess he won't mind me having his breakfast then."

"Come on then Thark, perhaps we could get to know more each other, so that you won't always see me to be potentially headless." Larkon greeted.

Thark took a seat at the table and sighed as he started eating what was Durel's breakfast. "What do ye have in mind lad?"

"Not my idea, there's." He gestured at the priestesses as he ate his meal

Thark looked at Alura and Kinar and raised an eyebrow.

"We both wanted you to permit us to go somewhere outside the city like Elwynn forest and Goldshire, and we would need him to accompany us." Kinar requested.

Thark almost choked on some of his breakfast after hearing that and had to punch his chest a little to try and get his air back.

Larkon shooked his head in anticipation as he expected for him to be bombarded with cruel words. The dwarf was indeed a very protective fella and would expect to do that after hearing that. Nevertheless he just waited his answer and would respect it. "What would it be Thark? I am not going to do it unless it is alright with you, like I promised to you." Larkon said as he looked at him who was coughing and pounding his lungs.

It took some small time but eventually Thark was able to fully swallow what he was choking on which he quickly helped wash down with a glass of water. Once done he sighed in relief and looked at Kinar and Alura. "Ye two want to go out of Stormwind?"

"It would be a pleasant experience for us, I never had been anywhere from outside Stormwind other than visiting Exodar and Shattrath." Alura said before adding. "It would our first to experience adventure, not like what I was doing in Shattrath which was just visiting my ancient home." Alura continuingly stated.

Thark looked at the two for a moment while tapping a finger on the table slightly. "Aye and you lasses can't go without someone experienced because ye not as skilled as fighters as ye are spellcasters. Correct?" Thark asked.

"Correct, which we thought that Larkon who has done a few adventures would accompany us for something you know small. And if it makes you feel better you can come along too and stretch your dwarf legs a little." Kinar suggested.

"Aye as such as I like holdin me old rifle again and hasn't been used in a while, I be busy fer something elses lass, but I can do it later." Thark implied.

"Then it's settled, after breakfast, me, Alura, and Larkon will go to Goldshire and Elwynn for a few tasks for the Church." Kinar agreed.

Thark skeptically looked at the Stormwind guard who was quietly eating his way to finish his meal. "Aye put my trust fer this young lad, but I keep me eyes shut fer him and anything else that would raise me brow." Thark said, making Larkon look at him in surprise.

"You trust me?"

"Aye lad, I may be protective fer both of these two, but I ain't stupid in not to trust you, the signs are there laddie, just like the young lad back then….." Thark said as he got up. "Besides, ye remember our little talk from the other day right?" He looked back at him with a slight death glare that made Larkon gulp nervously.

Getting used to his glares he only nodded.

"Good, now take ye time and I see ye later." Thark said as he walked back to the kitchen to clean some dishes, leaving the three to finish their breakfast peacefully.

Sometime much later after finishing, Alura, Kinar, and Larkon were making their way outside the city of Stormwind as they passed down streets. Crossing the Valley of Heroes, the bridge that gapped the large gate and the city. It was then the Statues of the great heroes stood, Alleria Windrunner, a symbol of poise and grace. Anduin Lothar, the symbol of leadership, High General Turalyon, a symbol of bravery and courage. The three looked up in awe and amazement as the three Statues stood, along with the statues of Archmage Khadgar, Danath Trollbane and Kuldran WildHammer, the heroes that stood out in history the most. Kinar being the most excited of the three as she was almost was jumping or skipping with each step as they passed.

"I can't believe we're actually going on an adventure for the Church. I haven't felt this alive since I first joined." Kinar cheered excitedly.

Larkon then eased a romantic fact for them. "Do both of you know that Turalyon and Alleria are lovers and they bore a son?" He asked them, smiling as they walk past Alleria's statues.

"Really? I didn't know that." Alura answered.

"Yeah it's common human history." Kinar mentioned.

"I don't know that much on the subject. What can you tell me about them Larkon?" Alura asked next.

"Well it is a fact that Alleria ignored his approaches at first, seeing him like the usual High Elf would look at a human." He said before continuing. "But there was a time that The Old Horde attacked the Capital of the Elves, and it devastated her, and she was in despair, so she reached to his tent and entered, facing him…." He told.

Alura listened carefully as he continued with the story, becoming more and more fascinated with each word. "What happened next?" She asked curiously.

"Oh It was special for both of them, the rain was heavily pouring and the latex of the tent took a pounding and the thunders were heard. Turalyon gradually had his eyes fixed on the entrance of his tent when late at night a small figure with long ears entered his tent, all wet from the pouring rain. Recognizing that it was none other than Alleria herself, he immediately tried helping her free herself from her wet clothes…..but for Alleria her reason why she entered the tent was more than just trying to find simple help from the pouring rain….." He said, as he smiled a tease to try and suite the curiosity of the two, but then a frown came "But alas, as great as the experience they made for each other, there were still problems Alleria faced that ultimately made her heart cement hierself from him." He abruptly end.

Alura's eyes shot open as if not expecting for it to end like that. Kinar snickered to herself seeing Alura's reaction.

"Oh Alura, you looked like a schoolgirl wanting to know more." Kinar implied.

"If there were complications then how did they become lovers?" Alura asked.

Larkon shrugged. "That'll be a story for another day." He joked.

Alura snorted in annoyance. "It seems I would be the one who will be slaking my lust of curiosity in the Library later." She stated.

"So what do you two need to do for the Church going to Goldshire and Elwynn?" Larkon asked.

"Kinar mentioned that she would require something for the church, but I would just sightsee." Alura answered.

"Alright so Kinar, what do you need to get for the Church now?" Larkon asked Kinar next.

"I would require some plants, and herbs. Perhaps Earth Roots might be a need?" She answered.

"Alright I guess our first destination is to find some Earth Roots then." Larkon mentioned.

As they passed the Valley of Heroes, Larkon observed the route towards Goldshire and calculated for a bit to how much time it might take, with a few moments thinking in his mind he stated. "It might take us three to four hours to reach them on foot." He said.

"Hmmm, good point, what do you think Kinar?" Alura asked.

"I don't care as long as I reached it!" She shouted as she ran along, jumping then changing to her worgen form in mid air and ran all in fours.

Larkon couldn't help but start laughing to himself at seeing this.

Alura just sighed and commented. "She really is a wonder, do you agree with me Larkon?" She asked as she looked at him as they both slowly walked down the road.

"I do yes. It's not everyday you get to see wonders of such." Larkon answered while laughing a little.

Though as much as he laughed, Alura had her eyes a little bit sad as she looked at Kinar who was now chasing a butterfly. "Everyday for a long time…." She sadly stated.

Larkon suddenly stopped his laughing when he noticed the sad tone from Alura's voice. He turned to look towards her concerned.

She remained quiet as he looked at her, though a smile was imprinted on her lips, it wasn't a smile to be happy, but rather a smile to have now before fading away. A small trick of tears began to appear from her eyes as she looked at Kinar, slowly walking down the road with a butterfly in her paws.

Larkon wanted to ask what was wrong but wasn't sure how to ask in the correct set of words. Not having much choice, he decided to stay quiet as he really did not know how to ask what was wrong.

"It's fun to see friends run around, huh?" She asked as he noticed her hand was on her eyes for a moment to wipe the tears away.

"Yeah, it's great to be with friends, especially ones that are like siblings to you." Larkon answered.

She sighed. "I really wished she was a sibling of mine…" She said softly.

"She is. You two have been friends for a long time and have helped each other through the worst. If there's one thing I've learned that is a positive from being a guard is that brotherhood and sisterhood reaches out to all no matter if one shares the same blood or not. Bonds like those are thicker than even blood itself as the Captain would say." Larkon answered.

"But they don't always remain in our lives do they Larkon?" She asked softly, her tone was generating an uneasiness between the two.

Larkon stayed silent again as he watched Kinar from a distance. "Yes but we always take a part of them with us even after they move on. In the form of memories that we will always cherish with us till the end of our days come when we join them." He tried saying though he wasn't sure if those were the right set of words or not. He wasn't really good with talks like this and most of the stuff he was saying he was having to quote from the Captain.

She just gently put on a fake smile. "I don't even know if the end of my days would come." She said as they proceed to walk down. Her lips were curled to a frown, silent, not wanting to pursue the matter anymore. Looking on what is here now and what is important that they are still here with her and she will cherish and value all her life.

Eventually Kinar came back rushing to them with a few caught butterflies in her paws. "Sorry about that, just got a little excited."

Alura immediately approached her and bumps her shoulder with hers trying to make herself have a moment with her, into which Kinar noticed her unusual manner.

"The butterflies are beautiful." Alura commented as she held one of them. She smiled while holding her hand up to the air for it fly away.

"Thank you, but let's see if we can get back to the task at hand. We got two places to go to get Earth Root. We could A, go each place one at a time. Or B, split up and cover more ground." Kinar suggested.

"Earth Roots can be found along the way, just look around the road and the trees and they can be found." Larkon said behind them.

"True but where's the fun in just picking up random earth roots from the ground when we can find special ones in Goldshire and Elwynn?" Kinar asked.

Larkon chuckled. "It depends on you both, I only came here to escort you two." He said as he walked, looking around the road as it began to become quiet. The shadow of the city had already been passed and can no longer be seen in the distance.

"Alura what do you think?" Kinar asked her friend as they continued to walk down the road.

"It is nice." She just flatly commented.

"No I meant what do you think, should we split up or what?" Kinar asked.

"I'm sorry Kinar if I hadn't clearly listen what you have just said, it's jus-...no matter, I think we should just split up in the end when we reach Goldshire then we will relocate back to a specific area on a specific time." Alura answered.

"Alright then, Larkon since you know these roads better than us what would you recommend for a split up plan?"

Larkon looked at her and thought for a bit, before replying. "We can just split up and meet up in the village center to look for, just make sure you won't stray far from the village to be safe. And there is also a beautiful lake there beside Goldshire, perhaps we can make something out of this rather than just to do some chores." He suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Kinar agreed while Alura noded in agreement with her.

The three head out down the road, the two, Larkon and Kinar showed their smiles on their way as they had their turned to sight see. Some seeing peaceful gnolls, seeing also angry gnolls that needed to be knocked out, they both had their due of happiness. However the Draenei of the three remained quiet as she held her head down for most of the time, her eyes didn't show the beautiful glow of happiness, as it only showed a dull and gloomy eyes. She made a very good job to not to be noticed, only to form a fake smile from time to time to assure them that she is alright.

Nevertheless she was holding back her tears as she looked at them both, Thark, Kinar, Larkon and the many members of the church where she had her time there to be friends with them. Even to experience meeting Larkon in such an unusual way three weeks ago that would become a friendship the three would make. As time would pass, soon the two would pass and will only become a memory. Her very long life suggested so factly, a fact that hurt her so much ever since.

Alura had her eyes down, and in which the two had finally noticed when Alura was so silent on their way. Kinar approached her and looked at her as her brows narrowed in concern.

"Are you okay Alura, you seem sad?" Kinar asked in concern.

Alura surprisingly sounded happy as she looked at her, her hands immediately wiped away the tiniest bit of tears and responded. "Oh I'm just fine Kinar, don't concern about me." She assured.

Kinar looked at her for a moment, still very concern. She thought for a moment and came up with an idea she knew that could maybe cheer Alura up from whatever was bothering her. "Hey Alura when we get back home we should practice with Larkon on how to defend ourselves." She suggested.

Alura actually smiled at hearing that. "That would be nice. I've been needing to work on my offensive Holy Spells."

"But don't be too rough with him." Kinar joked.

Larkon smiled to them and have his own response. "Alright, let's see, I'm eager to know what you will place on the table." He commented.

"Oh so now we're going to make it bets now huh?" Kinar asked.

"Might as well." Larkon suggested with a shrug.

"Alright if we win, you will be our personal body guard for tomorrow, because it would still be your free time, and….when you win we will become your….slaves for the next day!" Kinar happily gambled.

"What?" Alura asked in surprise.

"What?" Larkon asked surprised and feeling awkward.

Kinar looked at both of them. "What, did I say something wrong?" She asked.

"Slaves for a day if he wins?" Alura corrected.

"Relax Alura we can handle him it would be two on one." Kinar suggested.

Larkon narrowed his brow in disturbance. "I don't like the term….slave. It's sounds too…." He mumbled, unable to find his words.

"Would servants be a better word?" Kinar asked.

"Anything that would sound not too submissive." He said.

"Good, so I guess now we split up. I'll head to Goldshire and you two head to Elwynn. We will meet up back at the small center village in three hours. Don't be late." Kinar states.

"Kinar?" Alura tried but Kinar took off running on all fours to the route to Goldshire before she could even hear her. Leaving Alura alone with Larkon.

Larkon simply titled his head slightly to the side as he watched Kinar rush off. "Is she going to be alright by herself?"

"She will, though her recklessness knows no bounds." Alura answered as she chuckled. "Come now Larkon, let us search for what she needs, and I would be eager also to see the beautiful lake you have mentioned earlier before."

Larkon nodded and took the route to Elwynn. They both trekked their way on the forest canopy, though they were cautious, and always made sure that the road would still be located. Alura did was they had just did, gather some Earth Root, but it was not what she intended to do, and for her it was only a side piece. She instead made her way to the lake Larkon mentioned, gathering Earth Roots along the way, and this made the warrior follow her to make sure.

"Hey Alura, you don't need to make haste!" He said as he followed her, and watched her disappear to tho the surrounding trees, and when he had finally caught up with her. She was already staring in awe at the small and though deep lake that were surrounded by trees along with the echoes of the forest.

The lake was small, just a hundred feet or less in diameter, but the clear lake was deep as the waters were a darker blue. Alura made her way on the edge of the lake and just as she reached it, her hooves makes a step on the soothing waters.

"It is everlastingly beautiful." Alura commented softly as her eyes were directed at the fish swimming about.

Larkon smiled and walked over towards her. "I figured you would like the sight."

She looked back towards him with a bright smile on her face. "How did you know?"

He shrugged "Lucky guess."

"It's so nice, especially to have friends play around with you in this kind of place." Alura said.

"Nothing better, but to imagine you played with your friends, and growing old with." Larkon commented.

As much as Larkon didn't mean anything to hurt the priestess, Alura just quietly gasped as she heard those words. When she saw Kinar run around chasing a butterfly, she thought on what will her days be when Kinar will no longer run along with her. What will the days be when Thark will no longer be with her in the Inn hurling knives to those who tried to make their eyes on them.

Alura cupped her mouth with her hand as she tried to suppress it, it was becoming too much for her to be quiet and go unnoticed anymore as her eyes were finally wetting in tears. The streams of water ran down her cheeks as the tiniest bit of whimpers were coming out from her mouth.

Larkon's eyes immediately shot open in both deep concern for her and deep regret on what he said. Gently he approached Alura to try and comfort her. To let her no he did not ever mean to hurt her in any way shape or form.

"Alura I didn't mean it like that I mean…" he tried.

"You didn't do anything wrong Larkon." She said.

"But I did." He answered. "I said something that made you cry, so I have done something wrong." He answered with deep regret in his voice.

"You didn't, it's just…."She was unable to finish as she choked on her own cries.

"Alura please don't cry." He carefully and as softly as he could brought a hand over to her soft cheek and wipe a few streaming tears.

Alura looked up to him before closing her eyes. "I wish I wasn't a Draenei." She mumbled as her words continued on with her cries. "I don't want to live for a long time, I don't want to see friends grow old, I don't want to see them pass. I want to…." She didn't bother to finish as she went into a full cry.

Larkon was shocked to hear her words but also deeply sad as he knew the meaning of them. It finally hit him why she was so quiet this entire trip. The idea of her species being able to outlive the lives of so many of her deeply close friends devastated her. So much that it was a miracle of true mental endurance for her to be able to hide it as well as she was. Yet with his words from earlier shattered all that and struck and even deeper dagger into her already aching heart.

"I want them to be with me on my way till my day's end but that is not possible." She cried harder as her head looked down, averting his gaze as the tears fell down to the ground.

Larkon also looked down to the ground averting her gaze even though it was focused on the ground at the moment. It was his fault for saying such words to hurt her and he was not sure what he could to help her through this. With a sigh he did the only thing he knew he could. Carefully walking up to her, he gently took her in his arms to let her cry on his shoulder while he rubbed her back softly.

"Shhh...it's okay, it's alright…" he whispered to her softly doing everything he knew he could to try and help her however way he could.

She just let him wrap his arms around her as she cried, her head rested on his shoulders, crying to the cold hard truth. "I'm so weak, that I just…" She murmured.

"Shhh don't say that you're not weak at all." He continued while rocking her gently back and forth.

"Why is that Larkon? I'm so afraid, that I will be all alone when that time comes." She responded, never bothering to remove herself from him.

"Because friends are always with each other to the end and will always continue to be there." He answered softly.

"That's not true, they always say that to cheer us up, but that is never true." She said.

"Yes it is true Alura." He said as he tapped her back to make her respond. "And even if it isn't true, what you will experience would just be temporary, you will see them again, and the difference is that you will just have to be more patient."

"But I am terrified when that time comes."

He looked at her to say his words. "Look Alura, you are a priestess, you should know better than me, but this is what I see." He said, he looked at her dead in the eyes, her blue eyes glowed eager to hear his words. "What life you will experience, it is part of you, do not concern whether or not you will not play with your friends for a while because in the end you will." He gestured at himself and to her. "Everybody will die sooner or later, but don't worry about death, worry about life, take charge of life, for as long as it lasts….." He ended softly.

Alura pulled away as her smile began to form. "Is it true?"

Larkon smiled "Oh yes it is." He answered.

"Thank you Larkon, I am indebted to you, to help me see." She said.

"I'll do what I can and more." He answered.

The two decided to take a seat on the ground and look at the beautiful lake before them.

"I will be honest I'm not really good with words. Whatever good words I do say I'm just quoting from my captain." Larkon mentioned.

Alura chuckled at him. "Then I must be indebted to the captain then."

"Most likely." He chuckled with her.

Alura smiled at his response, her hand comes to her side and felt a rough surface. She took noticed and looked at her side, to see a shrub of Earth Root. "Oh my, an Earth Root!" She exclaimed.

Larkon looked down to see the Earth Root she spoke of. "Well will you look at that, lucky us."

"Perhaps this would be enough of a gather for us?" She asked as she pulled the Earth Root from the ground and puts it inside the herb pouch.

"Well it has been a few hours so I guess we may need to meet back up with Kinar soon." Larkon suggested as he stood back up and took Alura's hand to help her up to her hooves.

"Yes, that would be wise." She said as they started to trekked back to the road.


	8. Rosy Night

Kinar was wondering around the circle of the village, looking outside and asking some farmers if they have spotted some Earth Root into which they would gladly tell where. She trekked down, still all on fours, she was starting to enjoy running around with all of her legs. 'The joy of being a worgen.' She thought as she passed down some trees. The tall grass were starting to infuriate her as it bothered her senses whether it was an earth root or not. She could not tell due to the height of the grass.

She grunted in dissatisfaction and abandoned the area to look for more in the other. The sun was starting to become orange, indicating the dusk would settle in, in moments time, telling her to look quickly before the night settles. Her prayers were answered when she passed by a large tree and saw the brown roots she wanted.

"Ooh! Earth Root!" She exclaimed happily and jumps into the air, all on fours as she raced after the root. With only a moment, her paws yanked the plant from the ground and puts it in her pouch. "Alright, I think that is enough." She said.

With that, she turned around and heads to the village nearby as the dusk would settle in moments later, just the moment she needed. Almost upon arrival at the village she found Larkon and Alura just arriving at the same time as her. Alura appearing more happy then she last saw her.

"Hey your back. Just in time, I just found an Earth Root not too long ago. Where you two able to find any in Elywnn Forest?" She asked while showing them the Earth Root she found.

"We have Indeed, we have at least gathered five or six actually." Alura answered.

"Oh you found five or six. I only found one." Kinar sighed before putting her Earth Root up in her herb pouch. "Still seven should be what the church needs."

"I forgot to tell you that Earth only grows in the forest of Elwynn, Silver Leafs on the other hand grow at Goldshire and Elwynn also." Larkon commented shyly.

Kinar looked at Larkon for a moment while Alura giggled softly to herself.

"So that explains the wild goose chase I've had half the day. Still we got what we need and we should be heading back to Stormwind by now as it is getting late and we'll need to get these roots to the Church as soon as possible." Kinar explained.

"That would be a fruitless idea." Protested Larkon.

"How so?" Both Kinar and Alura asked.

"The Gray Wolves are hunting at Night, along with thieves and the Defias Brotherhood will be active at night. Unless we will take chances to have our throats cut, it would be best to stay for the night and resume our march tomorrow morning." Larkon answered.

Alura and Kinar looked at each other and then looked back at Larkon. "Well you know these roads and schedules better than us so I guess we'll stay the night here and continue tomorrow morning." Alura answered.

"An inn called The Lion's Pride is right at the center of the village, we can make our way there and have something to eat and sleep on." Larkon said as they trekked towards the village. "And also, Kinar, you have to switch back to your Human form when you stay inside the inn for the night, they don't permit anything to enter with fur." Larkon warned as the inn becomes visible.

Kinar sighed and switched back to her human form just before they enter the Inn. They looked around as they entered, the inn was of normal size, just were the rooms will be on the second floor. There is a bar area in the inn, a dining area and a counter beside the wall which a door will lead to the kitchen, a large chandelier with candles encased inside a glass illuminated the entire place. The owners, a couple, were working, the husband was working with the bar, and the wife was working with the dine, as some of the hired workers cleaned through the inn.

There weren't many people staying in the Inn as much. For those that were staying were just mostly humans but a few Night Elves and Dwarfs here and there. Larkon proceeded over to the register to pay for a room and some food to eat. Meanwhile Alura and Kinar took a seat to a table to wait on Larkon.

"The inn is quite fine." Alura commented.

"I agree, not too crowded, just a simple one just to stay the for the night inside." Kinar answered.

Alura turned when she heard small voices of children coming from the counter. A boy and a girl, at least six to seven years of age was murmuring at each other in amazement to see a Draenei for the first time. Making Alura chuckle at the sight of their cute faces of curiosity.

"Kinar, look at them aren't they cute when they see an unfamiliar face?" She asked, chuckling.

Kinar chuckled with her. "I know, the look on their faces are always priceless when they see something for the first time in their lives."

One of the children, the boy, tugged the apron of his mother to ask. "Hey mom, why does the woman over there have blue skin and horns?" He asked innocently.

The boy's mother looked at her son in confusion at first. When she looked over to where the Two Priestess were at, she smiled when she recognized what her son asked.

"Oh honey, she is called a Draenei." She answered softly.

Kinar and Alura chuckled when the girl asked her own mother if they could both approach her.

Alura smiled widely at them and called. "Come little ones if you want to know more." She said, before looking at the mother. "If it is alright with you ma'am."

"It is." Their mother agreed and motioned for them to go greet the Draenei Priestess.

The two slowly made their way over the two priestesses, both being a little bit shy to the extent that they were like skipping and stopping cautiously. They only made the two priestesses smile. Alura held her hand out to the small girl, into which she slowly accepted it.

"Eeeh, your skin is blue." The girl exclaimed happily.

"Yes it is, it is the trait of the Draeneis." Alura added.

"What are Draeneis?" The boy asked innocently.

"Well, Draeneis are people that have hooves for feet." Alura answered, pointing at the small feet of the children, and then pointing to her hooves. "They have horns on their head, and have blue skin instead of pink." She added, pointing also at their pale pinkish skin, then pointing to her pale blue skin.

"Eeeh, how cool!" The two exclaimed, then the girl pointed out at her neck tendrils. "Hey what are those?" She asked.

Alura looked down on the side of her neck. She noticed they were pointing at her tendrils. "Oh, those are called tendrils, and they can also be called tentacles." She answered.

"Can I touch them?" The girl asked.

Alura chuckled. "Sure, but be soft, because they are very sensitive." She said. The girl nodded and had her hands softly reached to her tendrils when Alura lifted her up to her lap.

"Eeeheh, they're so soft." The girl commented.

"Cool you've got a tail!" The boy exclaimed as he pointed to Alura's tail.

Alura looked around to see the boy and giggled at his response. Alura was swaying her tail back n forth before eventually wrapping itself around his arm.

"Wow, Draeneis are cool!" The boy exclaimed happily as he gently held on to her tail.

"The last most common trait all Draeneis have are our tails." She mentioned as she unwraps her tail from the boy's hand.

"You're very beautiful, are you an Angel as well?" The girl asked innocently.

"Not like an angel as you are." Alura replied as she nudged her nose, making the girl giggle.

The mother eventually called them out when she finished registering Larkon. "Okay children that's enough it's time for bed and our guests are probably tired by the looks of them." Their mother told them.

The children laugh and hurried over to her like wild chickens. The sight of it made the priestesses laugh as the children passed Larkon who was walking over to them. "They would deliver shortly." He said, and looked back to the children who was still peeking their heads one last time at Alura. "Cute little ones." He commented.

Alura noded in agreement as Larkon walked over to her and Kinar and took a seat. "Well I was able to get ourselves a room for the night as well as ordering some food. So we'll eat, rest for the night, and make the trip back to Stormwind first thing in the morning."

"That would be the case." Alura added.

"So did you get us three separate rooms one for each or are are we all staying on one room?" Kinar asked.

"I got us two rooms, one for you two and just one for me." Larkon answered just as the Inn's owner came and brought their ordered meals and set them each their plates.

"Ugh." Kinar sighed. "Why do you have the other room for yourself?" She protested.

"Well...I'm a guy, and you two are priestess, and, you know, don't want to give anything that might give us the wrong ideas you know." Larkon answered while scratching the back of his head a little.

"It's not really necessary as we three are friends." Alura commented, as she fancily sliced the meat down with the fork and knife.

"Yeah but still it just, they only have beds made for only two people, and not that much furniture. And I wouldn't feel, comfortable sleeping in the same bed with a woman I'm not in a relationship with. It just, know where I'm getting at?" Larkon asked shyly.

Kinar smiled eerily. "Hey Larkon, do you have your eye on a girl you want to be with?" She asked curiously, as she brought the meat that were plunged on the fork to her mouth.

"No not at this moment. I'm just not really looking for anyone in all honestly I don't think I'm ready for such a thing yet. Got too much stuff to do." Larkon answered as he took a bite of sliced meat himself.

"Oh, so you have set your eyes to really find the right woman? But I guess a man of your race would not need much time, because humans are the most genetically diverse among all the races." Alura asked and commented.

Larkon chuckled a little as he picked up a glass of wine. "I'll drink to that a little." He took a sip of wine and went back to eating his meal.

"You will and you are, It is said that humans are compatible to up two five….or maybe that was three? They can be with Night or Blood Elves, High Elves, Orcs, and even…...ahem…...Draeneis." Alura ended with a full blush.

"I know, but I honestly don't feel like looking for a girl at this moment. I've had a few girls I've been with in the past but most of them were human and only a very slightly few being Night Elves or High Elves. Never had caught an eye for Draeneis, and others." Larkon said before taking another bite of his meal.

Kinar used this as an opportunity to tease him. "Oooooooooooh! Hear that Alura, he doesn't think that Draenei's are beautiful!"

"That is not what I implied, I just said I'm most likely going to find my own race as a more possible girlfriend!" Larkon stated defensively.

"In the other words, you cross out Alura?" Kinar countered.

"Kinar everyone is entitled to their own opinion of what they find attractive. Plus you should know I can't date anyone I'm a Priestess of the Church." Alura stated.

"It would be folly actually to think about it Alura, you not having children, as I looked earlier you handled those two so motherly." Kinar commented.

"That's because I also spend time at the orphanages to help those in need and spread the word of the Light." Alura answered.

"But tell me also Alura, do you by means, have the tiniest bit of tiniest bit of not wanting to have children?" Kinar asked.

Alura looked at her briefly before taking a small sip of water. "What about you?"

"Of course." Kinar smiled.

"What?"

"I would like to someday find a nice man to settle down and have a family with."

"It would be best of your possible interest that I would leave for now as it seems it would be a topic that a Male would not be so interested in." Larkon commented.

"You would give up your priestesshood?" Alura asked on concern.

"I would yes…" Kinar answered.

"Oh...I mean, you answered it so easily. I'm surprised actually." Alura said.

Kinar shrugged. "I want to do what I can to serve the Light as best as I can. But that doesn't mean that I cannot still continue to serve the Light even after giving up my priestess hood to live a peaceful life with a normal family. When the day comes, I would see it as a form of retiring from the Church" Kinar answered.

"Oh….I mean, your are right, but…..I just don't know, I have been a priestess all my life, and would strongly will be in the future for a long time…" Alura sadly stated, as she finished her meal, giving slow thoughts about what she had just said.

Larkon and Kinar soon finished their meals before getting up with Alura and make their way upstairs to their separate rooms.

"I will be right here, if you two need me." Larkon said as he entered his room.

The two priestess watched larkon leave and entered their room while closing the door behind them. Taking the chance, the two started stripping down to just simple night clothes.

"Alura don't get me wrong I am so thankful for the honor and privilege of being a priestess of the Light. But it's not something I plan on doing forever. I want to do what I can as much as I can before finding someone to spend the rest of my life with. And besides, it's not like I'm turning away it just means I just won't be part of the Church anymore. But that doesn't mean I can't still serve the Light to the best of my abilities." Kinar commented softly.

"I understand what you meant Kinar, but you know, my nature is just this. And there might be nothing else for me to live but as a servant of the Highest."

"But I ask you again Alura, do you have the tiniest bit of regret on not having to have children?" Kinar asked once more.

Alura stayed silent for a moment, not sure how she should answer her question. It's true she loved children very much and was always good with them. Nevertheless she still stayed true to her vows and nature.

"To be honest Kinar I cannot answer that question at this time." Alura answered.

"Well, I don't want to bother you anymore Alura with this matter. It's best let it slide for good." Kinar said, as she prepared herself to laydown.

"Okay, night Kinar." Alura answered as she layed down and blew out the candlelight of the room.

* * *

Sometime later, Kor arrived back outside the city walls and at the same meeting place he met the Warlock Blood Elf. When he got there he saw the Warlock laying back at the tree waiting for him.

"Well?" The Blood Elf asked him.

Kor smiled again and tossed the bag over to him. "Yo'll master gon be pleased with what they kept in there." He commented.

The Warlock stood up, walked over to the bag and opened it. Picking up just one of the books he carefully flipped through the pages slowly. Taking his time to quickly see if what Kor found was worth it. He nodded a little and closed the book. "They'll do."

"Good mon, now about me reward, no easy feat gettin those things yo know." Kor reminds him.

The Warlock simply snapped his fingers to summon a Succubus from thin air, carrying four large bags of gold coins. Kor raised an eyebrow and watched the Succubus drop the four large bags of gold coins. Giving out a perverted whistle to her as she walked back to the blood elf.

"Good business dealin with ya mon." Kor said as he picked up the large bags of coins and put it into a larger bag. "If yo eva need ma service again mon, yo know where to find me." Kor said as he began to turn his back at him.

"Yes, of course." The Warlock answered as he looked at some of the old maps inside the bag.

* * *

The winds started to put its force harder down the shack of the the wooden building. The gust of wind echoed through the ears of the soldier who did not sleep but rather maintained his eyes wide awake. Focusing on the matters ahead when he would go back to the barracks two days later. A string of wind was blowing his short hair, making him stand up to close the window. He sighed in relief and delivers himself outside. The halls were quiet like the night, though it was still illuminated as the candles of the chandelier were still roaring their fire, trapped inside the glass.

No one was there he noticed, no one but a Draenei who was quietly sipping water in the middle of the night. It made his eyebrows raise to his curiosity.

"Alura? Why are you still up this late?" He asked.

She turned to him and replied. "The question would also apply to you." She said.

Larkon shrugged. "Just couldn't sleep. You?"

"My reason would be yours." She answered.

Larkon pulled up a seat with her and just sat with her in silence. Alura looked up to him, and smiled for what he did earlier. She then commented, breaking the silence between them on a very silent night. "Larkon, I thank you for what you did for me earlier."

"Which one would that be?" Larkon asked referring to her the few things he has done for her.

"At the lake silly, what you said back there." Answered Alura.

Larkon noded a little. "Your welcome. Sorry I'm not good with words."

Alura chuckled. "That's what I didn't heard back there."

"Yeah but those were quotes my captain told me. So yeah I said the words but they came from his mind." Larkon answered shyly.

"It matters not." She said, but she stayed quiet for a moment, then her smile began to fade as a frown eclipsed her.

Larkon looked back at her. "Did I say something wrong again?"

"No, It's just...though what you said were soothing, it just doesn't take me away further from the truth." She answered softly.

Larkon remained silent for another short moment. "I would tell you something to help with that but I'm out of quotes from the captain. Unless you want to hear one of his drill speeches." Larkon tried joking.

She didn't respond from that, but rather she drifts her mind at the conversation with Kinar, priestesshood, family, and everything that could make life worthwhile in her virtually immortal life. "Larkon, do you agree with Kinar?" She asked out from the random.

Larkon looked at her slightly surprised and tried to think of something that he could say that he may accidently say that could be bad. He really hated being caught in questions like this which required him to say words he never could figure out.

"Um, I-, how do I answer that. Because for a first, that's something the captain never quoted to respond to." Larkon began.

"I do not want to hear from the Captain, Larkon, I want to hear from you." She said.

Larkon thought for a moment and tried thinking of a response. It felt like a good solid fifteen minutes before he finally could think of something.

"The way I see it, we were made the way we are for special purposes. And given the freewill to choose what to do. Either serve the Church of the Light or just serve the Light to me doesn't seem to make much difference. The only difference would be you just wouldn't be part of the Church. But I know the Light wouldn't condemn those who would choose to serve just the Light as just a normal person with an ordinary normal life. I think that's what Kinar was trying to say. But again I can't honestly tell you because I'm just a soldier who despite being a follower of the Light, has had little to hardly any opportunity of free time to worship it. So I am not as knowledgeable in it as many others would be." Larkon tried.

"But…..do you think I made the wrong choice?" She asked once more, this time, her blue glowing eyes locked with his. Their gateway of connection was directly staring at each other as voice softly made it's way on to his ears.

Larkon sighed. "That is something only you can answer for yourself. If you feel any regret in the slightest with the choices you made, then maybe I...I don't know." He stammered growing more nervous as he wasn't sure how to answer anymore.

"But if I say, yes I regretted it, what would you suggest for me? Should I just find myself a person to be with all my life and then make myself happy along with a family?" She asked once more, her eyes were looking desperate even for an answer. Indicating how she was holding on for answers.

"Well if you do regret your choice, then I would suggest you make the choice you feel would be the best for you. The one you know and feel deep down with all your soul would be the one that would make you the most happy with." Larkon answered.

"Oh….." She sighed, almost disappointed. "I guess….I guess that would be the case." She said as she stood up. "I think I'll head upstairs to get some rest."

"I'm sorry I really am terrible when it comes to words." Larkon mentioned disappointed in his own self.

"It's not your fault Larkon, do not apologize on your behalf for the fault of others." She said as she made her way upstairs.

Larkon watched her as she made her way back upstairs. Sighing to himself he just buried his head on the table. Staying there for he wasn't sure how long until going back to his room for rest.

The next morning, the three finished dressing into their normal attar and made their way outside the Inn. Waving back to the family that owned it as they walked down the road back to Stormwind with their gathered Earth Roots.

The three were silent with each other, their eyes averting each other's form, only focusing at the road ahead. Their distance was just about the same, none nearing more than two feet from each other as the night inside the inn made them strangers like among each others. Their feet or hooves for Alura's case, were like machines, possessing only to move forward for eternity. Their eyes were slightly mortified, their lips curled into a frown as they put their minds forward ahead. Not wanting to hear anymore misguided words between themselves.

Kinar was just behind Alura who lead the way. Never bothering to look back to her, she felt a pang of guilt when she mentioned about. Her words struck her and what was the worst part is, that she is smothering her with it, leaving a pool of awkwardness between the two priestesses. She knew how Alura was problematic about everything elses in her life. Giving her and illusion of happiness that they, the three, Thark, Her, and Alura made. Made for her to hold onto.

Larkon was the first to break the long drewery silence they shared throughout the trip. "Alright we should be coming close to Stormwind soon. And since it's still early in the day I think I got time to help practice with you two at the Church." Larkon stated.

"We are just going to deliver this to the Church, we will be practicing at the Barracks with, you, Larkon, if that is alright with the Captain." Alura said, just only for a moment to look back at both of them, before turning her head once more and become silent.

"I wouldn't, Captain has the barracks full for soldiers. Says that something may come up with the whole Dark Portal mess going on and that everyone needs to be well trained and prepared. And for security reasons, everyone is being trained privately away from the eyes of the public to avoid possible spies. So I don't think the barracks would be good. But what's wrong with the Church's courtyard?" Larkon asked.

"Oh, alright, I think you're right." Alura replied, never bothering to answer his question.

Before long, the three gazed at the large gate once more, but this time they did not possess the level of amazement they had once. Their eyes only to shift at the quiet road, the statues were no longer given the level of aspiration they once gave. The three remained quiet, locking themselves at the gates of isolation amongst themselves as they make their way back at the Church.

The three still remained quiet through their long walk through the streets towards the Church. So it came to no surprise that they arrived without really noticing until they started walking up to the steps of the entrance.

"We're here." Alura said, before adding as she took the pouch over a counter where other bag pouches similar to hers were put aside.

The High priest at the counter thanked them for the bags and payed all three of each bags of coins for the trip. After getting their reward, the three made their way out to the Church's Courtyard to the practice area. Alura quickly went to her room to retrieve her staff for the exercise. When she returned she now wore a turquoise sash around her shoulders that was held together by a round, star-like clip.

Larkon took notice of that staff the sash she now wore carried on the right of her back. It was a simple white colored short staff that had a blue colored crystal the size of one's hand at one end of it. He smiled watching her arrive and eager to begin.

"Alright so how do you ladies wish to proceed with this?" Larkon asked.

"Well as you know I'm a Druid who specialize in mixing Balanced and Restoration magic while Alura is a Priestess who specializes in only holy magic. As such we're gifted and experienced healers but we don't have that much combat experience in our respective specializations." Kinar began.

"Alright, then I will have to show you how to expose weakness. I do not know what your abilities are but know that, when you are fighting from other nations, they are skilled fighters. One would not simply go outside and fight one, in one on one skirmish, we fighters respect their abilities." Larkon said.

"Alright, we'll do our best." Alura acknowledge as she and Kinar got ready.

"Now, before we proceed, I will ask, should I fight with force yet non lethal, or should I fight purposely to just be beaten?" He asked.

"Fight with force, we don't want to be taken easy. The best experience is the real training and not some set up." Alura requested.

"Alright." He said as he withdrew a sword from his sheathe. "Now, Every Time you two will fail at a particular moment in the fight, you will retry and to it again."

"Got it." Kinar agreed as she changed into her Worgen form.

Larkon went on to the distance, just ten feet away from each others. "You two ready?" He asked, pointing his sword at them. The two nodded as they prepared themselves.

The warrior didn't let them breathe as he immediately ran towards them with great speed. Expecting him to just run forward, the two shot their spells sloppily at him, but already they were far from the target. As he ran towards his side and jumped towards a wall, while leading his right foot to propel himself. He landed on behind their backs, tapping both of their shoulders.

"You two are dead." He said.

"Darn…" Kinar groaned. "What did we do wrong?" She asked.

"Expecting one thing and not expecting the unexpected." Larkon answered. "To answer to it, you must put yourself at guard, do not attack. You are expecting an experienced fighter to just stay at an area where he would expose himself to danger." He lectured. "Now again."

Kinar and Alura nodded and moved some distance away to get ready. Larkon held the grip of his sword tightly and prepared himself. He dashed right away towards them, the two trying to maintain discipline as they have expected for him to propel himself from the wall once more. They didn't do any action until they saw him run to his left and attempt to cut them off. With this opportunity the two priestesses ran and separated from each other to catch him in the distance, exposed.

Larkon smiled. "Excellent work. You know how to bait a trap."

Alura was the first to take action as she casted a holy fire spell to Larkon. Larkon stopped his tracks and jumped back to avoid the shot. When he landed Kinar took action and casted a series of green aurora from her arms to bolt right at him. Larkon quickly ducked to avoid the bolt of green aurora and dashed towards Kinar. Alura quickly casted another bolt of holy fire towards Larkon while Kinar does the same with her nature magic.

The warrior just smiled as he waited the magic to come right at him. Clenching like a turtle who braced for impact, he took a knee and waited as the their spells come crashing right on him. Smoke erupted after that.

The two smiled at their success, but a shadow drivilled from the smoke takes action and charged through to target the draenei. Alura tried to run, when he reached at melee range. He held his hand and caught her by the wrist.

"You are dead, and then after you die, she will die shortly." He said, gesturing at Kinar. "When they are at melee range, do not run, but rather retaliate with your own melee." He explained

"But I do not have any melee skills. I was thinking I could cast another spell but I wasn't sure if it was too close for comfort or not." Alura mentioned.

"A simple stick could hold off a seven foot tall Orc, then that." He pointed at her staff. "You either put yourself at risk by, kicking me here." He pointed at his stomach. "Do not hesitate, even if you don't have skills just a simple kick, that would caught a man off balance would be enough to create distance between you and me." He said.

"Well she could've always kicked you in the crotch." Kinar suggested.

He chuckled. "I can't make children with that." He said, before brushing off. "So anyhow, let's proceed to the idea."

"What kick you in the crotch?" Alura asked.

"No, by learning how to defend yourself, that kind of idea." He answered quite casually.

"Alright." Alura noded.

"Kinar care to join?" Larkon turned towards her.

"Don't worry I know how to defend myself in close range. Claws and Teeth." She smirked showing her Worgen canines.

Larkon raised an eyebrow at seeing her teeth and shrugged. "Alright I guess I'll believe you on that. But as I was saying Alura, even a simple stick could hold off a seven foot tall Orc. When at risk do not hesitate to use anything at your disposal. So let's try some melee combat."

Alura noded and drew her staff.

"Ready?" Larkon asked her.

She noded her head again and got ready. Alura watched him at the distance and jumped towards her. At first she cowered, afraid to hit him that would potentially hurt. Suddenly, Larkon gave her a time to react, slowing down, and she backs off for a bit, just getting the distance between him and bucks him with her hooves. It didn't hurt him or anything, but it just stunned him for a second.

Larkon took a breath to shrug the attack off and charged back towards her. She gasped and out of quick reflex reaction, swung her staff in a low sweep that took Larkon by surprise and knocked him on his back.

"Was that good?" She asked.

"Yes but." Larkon took the opportunity to sweep her off her hooves and knock her onto her back. Quickly getting up and pointing his sword to her. "Need to keep your guard up at all times even if the enemy is presumed defeated."

Larkon held out his hand and gently helped her back to her hooves. "Let's try again."

"Alright. Kinar, let's do this." She said, as she looked at her and smiled.

"Sorry Alura, this is between you and Larkon in melee stuff. I already know my share of skills." Kinar mentioned.

"We'll see about that when it comes to your turn. So ready?" Larkon asked.

"I'm ready, but please be a little bit gentle." She replied, clutching her staff in ready.

Larkon got in his fighting stance and slowly started circling around her. Never taking his eyes off her in sheer focus for a second. Alura gulped and gripped her staff even harder as she braced herself for whatever or may happen. In a instant, Larkon dashed towards her with a fast slash. She quickly took action and blocked his sword slash with her staff. Alura held on and pushed back to swing her staff in the air, to which Larkon backs off.

"Don't panic, and stay in focus." Alura thought in her mind as Larkon once again went on to the distance to charge.

Rather still going on, he stop at mid distance and dashed at her, at first she was able to block his attack, but after another attack commenced she just dropped her staff in fear.

"Please, I've had enough." She held up her hands. "I don't know if I can do this."

Larkon sighed as he picked her staff up and handed back to her. "You can Alura just got to get some experience and training under your belt. Besides, you can't just master stuff in fifteen seconds that took me fifteen years to master at. It takes time and patience. Now let's try again."

Larkon took some more steps back and got back into his fighting stance.

"Okay, I'll try once more." She said softly as she gripped her staff and got ready.

Larkon stayed perfectly still in his position, almost statue like. Alura waited patiently for him to make the first move. Keeping her eyes focused on any possible movements different then him just breathing at this moment.

The warrior moved his hands and his right foot came forward, almost as if like a slow rain would come about. A stance of the art of fighting that looked so beautiful that the Priestess of Light was blinded by it's nature. At little almost too late to respond as her staff moved to block herself. Larkon was handicapped with the spar, with no intention to do any offense with his fist against her petite frame. He just held on and waited for her to retaliate.

Realizing the mistake she made, she quickly recovered back into her stance and waited for him for his first move. Kinar watched from a distance and took a seat as she waited for either of the two to make the first move.

Suddenly, Larkon dashed towards the Priestess while sidestepping left or right. It confused her at first but once he got close enough she blocked his attack with her staff. Larkon went to the aggressive and continued to attack her with a series of slashes which she would try and block with her staff.

As she would block his strikes she watched carefully of his movements. She watched them for a small amount of time until she spotted an opening. Acting quickly she blocked Larkon's next strike and countered with a back swing of her staff to his right side. The attack stunned Larkon just enough for her to follow up with a spinning swing of her staff. He was able to block the attack but the force from it caused him to be push back a few inches.

Now on the offensive herself, Alura dashed at Larkon and started striking with a series of swings with her staff which Larkon would block.

Alura was getting frustrated for a bit as she saw the smirk on Larkon's lips, looking like as if he was mocking her very movements. She pummeled down with her staff, though only to be blocked by a metal clad wrist. Her other hand would eventually cast spells that were directed to his head and body, only to be blocked and be slipped that would take him away from danger.

Alura takes a step back, her breathing was heavy as her chest heaved up and down. "I'm drained from what remained of my energy." She said as her palm touched her forehead and shook her head, feeling a migraine from her exhaustion.

Larkon watched her and sheathed his sword. However the moment he did she took the opportunity to low swing her staff to knock him back on his back again. Kinar saw this and started bursting out laughing. Alura walked over to Larkon with a playful smile on her face.

"Need to keep your guard up at all times even if the enemy is presumed defeated." Alura quoted similar to how he quoted the same words to her not too long ago.

"There's a difference in giving up in a courtyard with harmless sparring to giving up in a fight for your life. But." Larkon goes to sweep her off her hooves again but only for her to jump back and playfully bonk him on the head with her staff.

Larkon just layed there on the ground after getting the small bonk on the head. He just could not help but smile and laugh at the whole thing. Alura soon followed with her smile growing and soon laughing alongside with him. Before they knew the three began laughing hysterically from the events.

"You really tried to make yourself look as easy to be beaten as possible didn't you?" Accused Alura.

"I do what I can?" He laughed.

Alura still walked over and held a hand out to help Larkon up. He gently took her hand but only to yank her playfully to the ground with him.

Alura landed somewhat gently to his side, looking a little bit embarrassed to the situation. She started to laugh as Kinar went over and pulled them both up.

"That was indeed a very fun experience, yet I folly that I wouldn't get to see what Larkon really fight for his life. It seems that he see us to be too weak to be considered a threat." Alura commented, and looked at him with a smile. "And don't get the Idea that I really DESIRE to see you fight for your life, as that would be the exact opposite." She added with a correction.

Larkon chuckled. "Alright, alright I understand your holiness. Come on let's go check up on Thark, lunch is on me."

Alura and Kinar noded in agreement as they left the arena and made their way back to the streets of Stormwind to Thark's Inn.


	9. Your name came up

The camps placed their cladded soldiers outside, being ready to make haste of their observation as the portal began to grow brighter to the extent of receding a yellowish green glow around itself. The mages behind the ranks channeled their energy, maintaining their composure as their eyes glowed bright. The men grew agitated as their sweat began to trickle down their skin under the scorching sun, coupled with the the armor that served only to heat them more. It grew brighter and brighter as the mages puts their effort to it. The light began to glow more than ever as it covered the entire camp along with the soldiers in the ranks, till it can blind the normal eye. Then…..the glow dispersed as the mages were looking at each other in confusion while the portal went back to its dormant state.

"What happened?" One of the captains asked.

The mages of all races began to question. "Perhaps-" But was cut off when an axe flew by from the portal, and landing on to the vulnerable neck of the caster. They watched him land on the ground as he choked and gurgled in his own blood before being completely silent. All their heads were turned to the portal to see orcs began rushing down on them. Brown skinned orcs come crashing down the camp with a thundering roar, their height bearing half a head taller than them. Their bodies were clad with light leather armor that served to their advantage. Wielding swords and axes that were four feet tall, each strike decapitating a person in half.

The men regroup to their ranks from their initial assault. Already the men of the Horde had a soldier astride with their flying beasts to send word to their Warchief, and the men of the Alliance, astride on top of a great gryphon to warn their King. The two factions, Men, Orcs, Elves,Trolls, Dwarves, Gnomes, Draeneis, and Taurens, roared and charged as they hold off the line against the onslaught. Hoping for the best that help would come about before they were overwhelmed. Metal against metal clashed as the sounds of battle echoed through the mountain tops. Blood would splatter against the rocks each time a blade could strike flesh. Heads would be torn from their body as each death would leave widow behind.

Atop of the cliff, the black hair blood elf warlock with the painted magical runes around his left eye smiled as he looked upon the large skirmish. With his arms crossed he watched the battle take place below him. It was only when he felt the wind turn icy cold for him to notice his breath chilling in the air that he snapped back into reality and turn around. There, a figured completely concealed by the darkness of a cave and his tattered long black cloak was standing as emotionless as a statue. A foggy ice cold mist softly blew from his direction outside of the cave.

"Oh, there you are my lord. I apologise for the delay I just wanted to see the results of Garrosh's little scheme." The blood elf spoke.

The figure said nothing and remained still. The Warlock looked back at the battle and continued to watch it. "I wouldn't be too concerned with it. His obsession to change events will be his downfall and ultimately his demise. With his plans, goals, and dream to go along with him."

The hooded figure walked beside him as he too hovered his eyes over the blood stained battle.

"No." said the figure softly. His voice echoed like a manifestation of fear, it's sound cracked and cackled like fractured bones.

The blood elf raised an eyebrow. "Pardon my lord?"

"They...will not….it will serve us." The figure answered.

"Really, how so if I may ask?" The warlock asked as he turned to look at the figure.

The figure turned to him suddenly at his question. The shadow of his hood hovered over the lines were the face would be, with only a pitch black darkness could be seen. He stared at the blood elf warlock for a moment, and cackled yet no words were heard. His aura began to take toll on the warlock as the message was being sent.

"I understand, forgive me."

The figure looked back to the ongoing battle below them and continued to watch the scene before him.

"Thanks to the information Kor got us from the Church of Light, it's only a matter of time before we'll be able to find what you seek." The Warlock told the figure.

The figure began to turn his back from the battle, his steps though consumed by the sound of metal, echoed like a clap in the cave. His aura so unholy and so freezing cold that the land died and froze beneath him. The cloak grips the figure as the air waves and blows. The Blood elf watched the battle one last time before turning to follow him.

* * *

Alura was visiting an orphanage of children to do what she can to help while spreading the word of the Light. Children of different Alliance races gathered around the white haired priestess, smiling as words came from her lips as she read a children's story. She smiled and the children smiled also at the climax of the story begin to come about. Her chuckles escaping her lips as she read thoroughly. The children sometimes grunted in frustration while others would smile in satisfaction on how the story progressed.

"And they kissed." Alura read, and children began to protest their dissatisfaction.

"Ewwwwwwwww!." They all shouted. The little girls were opposite to how the little boys reacted, as they rather enjoyed the progress. Their smiles imprinted on to their lips as the story came to an end.

"And that's how the Knight met the Flores. A Peace of Life." She ended, closing the book.

"But Priestess Alura, what happened next?" One little night elf girl asked while raising her hand.

"What did they do after that?" A human boy asked.

She smiled, happy to answer. "Well after that, they lived their lives, the town folks never knowing who they are, but they lived happily and had kids together to raise." She answered.

Alura and the Children soon heard a small knock from the entrance of the room. There they saw the old Dwarf lady who ran the orphanage.

"Pardon me laddies and lassies, we be having another special guest come see ye." The Dwarf lady said as she stepped aside and Paladin Joven entered the room.

The smile that was painted on to her lips was immediately erased, and was then painted to a scowl. The book in her hand was put aside beside her as she stood up and went to the other room, expecting him to follow suite. Before Joven could follow, children immediately swarmed all around him in happiness and praises.

"Ey! Paladin Joven of Exodar is here!" They cheered.

Joven gave a friendly smile and nodded to each one. He looked back towards where Alura went before looking back at the children.

"Indeed children, listen I must speak with my daughter Alura real quickly. When I return I will be happy to show you children something that will place feelings of hope to you all." Joven said as he slowly tried to make his way to follow Alura.

Alura waited in the other room with crossed arms, a scowl still present on her lips. Her eyes were staring on to the front door, looking like she was unhappy the moment she saw him. The knobs began to twist and the door sprung open, and came in her father, still clad in his armor as a Paladin. He closed the door behind and looked at her with narrowed brows of concern and somewhat happy to see her.

"Good afternoon Alura." He greeted happily.

"Good afternoon father, I presume you are not here for mere pleasantries." She greeted back somewhat formally, never showing her position as a daughter for him as a father.

Joven could easily sense the uneasiness coming from her and turned to face her. "Um, how've you been lately?"

"Feeling satisfied." She answered with indifference.

"Okay that's good. Um, I apologise for dropping in while you were busy. I was, wondering if I could ask you something." Joven asked softly.

"So be it." She replied somewhat coldly, yet it was hidden under her soft voice.

"Um, uh how do I ask this." He scratched his head nervously. "Um, how long has it been since you've been from Exodar?"

"Eight years father, eight years and counting. That should be a sufficient answer." She replied, her tone was becoming more irritated.

Joven looked at her a little shocked. "Wow, eight years, has it really been that long?"

She looked at him, crossing her arms once more, this time her voice didn't cover her feelings no more as she immediately asked with a statement. "Alright, we should know that pleasantries is not what you came here for, what would be your reason that you have to drop by here." She asked.

Joven sighed quietly. "Well uh, I was wondering, since it has been eight years since you last left, would like to come to Exodar with me tomorrow?" He began.

She just sighed and smiled in annoyance as she walked past him while stating. "It is an action that I would not do in the near future nor to the coming years ahead." She answered.

Joven was a little taken back by this and almost looked hurt from it. "But don't you miss your old home, what about your mother? I know it's been a long time but she misses you." He softly took her hand gently. "I miss you. We both miss you" He spoke gently.

She retracted her hand away from his. "That's not what I saw when I was officially crowned by the church as a priestess. It's sad to say I was so disappointed when the seat that was supposed to be seated by someone was empty, while all other seats of the others were filled in. While every other priestesses came to hug someone, I was left alone standing because you thought that a dinner with the General would had more value." She snapped, and stared right at him in the eye. "So guess what father, I value my priestesshood now than returning home. If she misses me, she can visit me, not the other way around."

Joven was again shocked to hear such words and deeply hurt internally for the truth behind them that she was right. With a sad look on his face he looked down on the ground avoiding her hurtful gaze.

"Alura...I...the only words I have to excuse me for such actions were that I was required to secure an Alliance we needed from that General. It was not something I willingly chose to do and if the circumstances were different I would've made it to that seat." He tried explaining.

"So what? I now willingly chose the Church than my home. Do you want to protest to that?"

"No it's not that I just thought that maybe you could come visit for a few days and we be a family like we used to." Joven answered.

She smiled, yet it harbored no happiness, only regrets. "I really tried to hold on to that delusion father. For it was you who convinced me that it was only a delusion." She replied to him, twisting the knobs of the door so she can be on her way back to reading stories with the children.

Joven stood still and silent as he watched her leave the room. Staring at the door for he wasn't sure how long before his hooves decided to finally move. He walked over to another room and sat down. With a deep sad sigh he placed his hands on his face and just sat there alone in the room.

* * *

Jorden looked at the map in his tent, a sword was on the table, using a compass of navigation. His eyes were darting left and right, his hands gripping his chin on analysis. Looking like a mission was about to come to a front. He paused and moved his head over the map.

His ears heard the crash of metal falling from it's armory, thinking none other than his own time, he ignored it and focused back at the maps. "Would you keep it down from there!" He aggressively shouted from his tent, sending them a message. However the sound of running feet was on his senses, and before then a man, covered in sweat while clad with bloodstained armor just suddenly bolt into his tent.

"Sir, I bring grave news!" He shouted and immediately gave a letter.

Jorden was taken back by the sudden appearance of the bloody knight and took the letter. Opening it, he read it quickly before his eyes opened wide in fear and he dropped the letter.

"How bad is it?" He asked growing scared now.

"It's still going on sir!" The knight told him. "King Varian and the other Generals need to hear this immediately!"

Jorden looked at him, shaking in fear of what is now going on. "I will alert them, go down to the barracks for much earned food and rest."

The knight saluted and walked off to go as he was told. Jorden quickly picked the letter back up and rushed out of his tent to the castle barracks. It took him some short time but he was eventually able to reach the practice arena. There he found Moira practicing rigorously hard with his sword and shield on a practice dummy. Training hard and long to the point sweat was all over the ground and the dummy looked like it will collapse at any minute. He showed no mercy or signs to stop as he kept slashing with dummy with his sword followed by a hard bash with his shield. Eventually He slashed the dummy until it finally collapsed onto the ground in pieces. Breathing hard he stood there letting his hard sweat drip to the ground.

"General!" Jorden alerted and approached him.

"Have you gone blind Captain I'm busy at this moment. Come back when you have something worth my valuable time." Moira tells him clearly agitated and annoyed by Jorden's all of a sudden appearence.

"There is General." He said, giving the letter to Moira.

Moira snatched the letter from him looked at. It did not take long for his his skin to immediately turn pale in the first sentence. "Report this to Maraad, King Varian, and the other Generals." He ordered Jorden, and they immediately storm out from the practice arena.

Moira stormed out from the arena, and just smiled at the event that would transpire. He dropped his weapons, his armor and then thoroughly walked slowly and was a little too relaxed to from his reaction to the event. Once he entered his tent, he picks up a piece of paper and sat behind his desk, his dark smile never leaving from him.

A feather was then dipped in a jar of ink for him to write as he read. "This would commemorate the day that Jorden, captain of the town guard and his men would be drafted to the front lines against the unknown horde of enemies in two months time. Any refusal to the request of participation would be stripped from his rank and be accused of treason, that would be punished by being hanged from their necks until they are dead. Signed, General Moira." He ended.

He took special care to sign his own name on the paper before sitting back and pouring himself a glass of wine to enjoy. "Once again, things are finally shifting to my favor." He said to himself as he took a sip of wine and relaxed some.

* * *

The old dwarf once again got himself busy as the townsman guards come pouring in. His hands was multitasking from pouring ale to ale, to busy rubbing mugs to mugs. His short beard was becoming slightly wet as sweat poured down from his skin. Slick and sticky is what he felt but nonetheless silver and gold were pouring in that day and all thanks to them.

In the meantime, Larkon sat at a table with Durel and a few other guards.

"Aye Thark, only water for me and Durel!" Larkon called out as he sat in wait.

"Coming right up lad!" Thark yelled out as he rushed to get everyone's orders.

"So Durel how's things been going on with your wife. She's one month in expecting right?" A Night elven Stormwind guard asked.

"She is a two weeks and month, and would be expecting in eight or seven." Durel answered.

"Expecting a son or daughter yet?" A human guard asked.

He shrugged. "I do not know yet, perhaps…...a boy would be a strong possibility but I wouldn't mind a girl." He said, before changing the topic abruptly. "And I heard from the others that a new trainer would be assigned, they say he's human that's freakishly tall, like seven feet right?" Durel asked to the guard.

"Oh yeah I heard about that guy, he looks like he could wrestle a tauren. And Isn't he married to a Night Elf woman or something?" A gnome guard asked.

"Uh, interracial marriages…." Their Night elf companion commented.

"I think there's a lot of stories that surround that trainer." A Worgen guard in human form answered.

"Hey Larkon you've been quiet lately, everything okay?" Durel asked.

"Ah yeah just don't mind me I don't really have anything interesting to bring to the conversations of this table." Larkon mentioned.

"Ah come on, surely ye must have something." A Dwarf guard asked.

"How are things going with you and the Priestess?" Durel asked suddenly.

The other guards at the table soon turn to Larkon, curious to hear what Durel means by, "Priestess."

"Oi, Larkon what would be about that Priestess we heard?" The gnome companion asked.

"Nothing, I started going to the Church of Light more often thanks to the guidance of a Priestess that's all." Larkon answered.

"When Larkon was whipped to the point he would get killed, a priestess of the church, a Draenei stayed by him to volunteer healing him throughout the night." Durel suddenly added.

"Really, a Draenei Priestess you say?" A human guard asked. "That would more a little bit more interesting than the new trainer's Elven wife….."

"There's no contest in these, so I'll just answer that she is a Draenei that was willing to help in a time of need, and yes she is also now a friend of mine, but nothing else." Larkon said.

"You sure about that?" The Worgen asked with a smirk.

"Like I told you guys a thousand times before, and I will most likely tell a thousand times in the future. I'm not looking for any girl and I do think my tastes are in my own race thank you all very much. And for that fact that she is a priestess." Larkon groaned.

The night elf guard then raised himself up. "I heard that the new trainers wife was also a priestess." He said. "And also you suggest that you won't be having trouble dating women from my race and the race of the Highborne, how would a draenei not fare to your taste?"

"Well first off I just feel slightly more attracted to women of my race. Now there have been time were I have seen a night elf lady here and there who was attractive but not as much as human women have. As for Draenei's I just, it's, I just never got the time. I've just been so busy with stuff I haven't found the time that's all." Larkon mentioned.

"Women….unpredictable bunch are they?" The gnome commented, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"If I get the chance, I hope the woman I'll be with will accept me." The worgen then changed himself back to his worgen form, pointing at himself.

"Well, you are still biologically human that only has a curse, you'll have no trouble finding one. And as for me, I'll stick to my own race, I bet women of other races perhaps don't like a midget." The gnome stated.

"That goes without saying lad." The Dwarf guard joked that made everyone start laughing.

"Pfft, as if, at least women of my race are cute, not like yours who can't be distinguished from male and female." The gnome countered.

Everyone laughed even harder from that joke. Thark finally came in with their drinks and sat them down for each of them.

"Sorry for the waite lads. This place been seeing lots of needed business since ye all came here to make it ye personal bar." Thark said.

"Aye me favorite place fo a drink of ale from ma own race." The dwarf guard commented. "Me mates be havin good time eva since Larkon and Durel mentioned this about to us."

"Hey Thark, you used to be part of the Stormwind Guard, what was it like in your days?" Durel asked.

Thark gulped down a mug of ale before looking at him and answered. "Aye, not Stormwind Guard, I was a Hunter, a Gunman Sharpshooter to be exact laddie. Patrollin around with me mates against me common thieves, aye if you were a man back then in me time were the Old Horde attacked the city, ye be pourin ye urine on ye underwear. And back when Dwarves and Humans were unafraid, tsk, when I heard back that a Human Paladin was able to kill an Orc with his bare hands!" He raised his arms and clench his fist. "I just couldn't believe it, and I fo one know that a lot of you wouldn't even think of doing what the man did back in ma ole days." He said.

Everyone sat and listened carefully as he talked about his time as a Stormwind Hunter during the fight with the Old Horde.

"When me men and I were at the garrison on this exact spot." He pointed down. "A boulder come crashing down, a boom!, already three dead and fire began to sweep the garrison. We got out, and then there's this little lass, human, carrying a wee babe, looking like as if she was too young fer a mother come crying as a boulder shut the door, and fire began consumin the house." He told and then looked at them in a raised brow and a narrow smile. "You rookies want to hear the rest of the stories aye?" He asked.

They all noded their head in agreement fast as everyone in the inn quiet down and turned to face him to listen in.

"Aye, I ran down to her, and tried me best to push the boulder, but it wouldn't budge like an ass of a horse." He said then gulping once more at the mug of ale. "The cries was now louder as I hear the gates were bein pounded on like a hammer to rock, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" He shouted at the last. "I didn't know what to do, I looked at the gate, and aye got scared as a big ass hole was theere, and then I thought I would just run away fer me life, but then I got to look at the face of the lass." He said softly. "Ah me heart melted when her eyes were covered in tears, her arm were reachin out fer me, beggin me to help her, it was one of the most beautiful, yet one of the most heartbreakin experience I endured in me life." He said before narrowing his eyes in anger. "But that only made me stronger! I abandoned me post pushin the boulder and just begin poundin on the wooden wall of her house with the blade end of me rifle. Aye I didn't know that the orcs have already breached the gate and begin crashin down on the city as me mates and the others hold them off while the guards be reachin for an evacuation fer me folks in the city." He said.

Everyone froze after hearing his story and were curious to know if there was anymore.

"What happened next?" One guard from the back asked.

"Aye, I saw one bit the neck off of ey guard. But that didn't faze me as began poundin harder in rage, I didn't know how many times has passed by but I sure it ain't seconds. POW! POW! POW! The wall finally broken off. I saw that the lass already pass out, and the wee babe were cryin about. I lifted her and then she return her senses, and I just tossed me rifle to pick up the babe." He said.

Everyone froze still, leaving the room completely quiet with only Thark's voice from his story being the only sound heard. They sat and waited patiently for him to continue and finish.

"And then I heard the roar." He said coldly.

"What roar?" Larkon asked.

"When me dwarvin mates say, we got an axe to grind, I will literally say, I almost got me self axed and be grinded." He said. "BOOM! One orc, crash the house, aye remember that face, six and a hald or seven feet tall, with green eyes you can mistake fer a demon. He crashed his axe down at me and I narrowly dodge it with the Lass and the Babe in me arms. I just began sprintin fer me dear life as two more, then three, then four, then five, began chasin me back." He said, then began unfolding the leather of his right forearm, to show a scar on his shoulder that was at least six inches across. "And believe me, when an axe just came flyin on my shoulder." He told, then folding it back down. "Aye, I almost droped the poor lass and babe, and she be screamin like pig in a butchers house. Me shoulder began to bleed and I just ran fer my life."

"How did you get away?" A Night Elf guard asked.

"Tsk, I never ferget that man. Anduin Lothar, and his men came crashin down on the orcs that chased me back. He took the lass in his arms and I still hold the babe in my hand, as his men slaughtered the chasers before goin to the docks to retreat with us. And It seems It was I who was the last one remainin on that City." He said, before gulping down ale once more, but this time a smile was imprinted on his lips. "Aye, It was such a sight when the lass sat down with me, as she held that babe in her arms, she was keepin tabs and keepin thanking me fer I have done fer her."

"You knew Anduin Lothar?" A night elf guard asked in shock and excitement.

"Well, a he gave me a medal fer what I was doin. Does that count?" He replied.

"Gave you a medal, sir that's more than just counts I mean you actually saw and met Anduin Lothar, the Anduin Lothar in person and he gave you a medal for your actions. That must've been the most amazing moment ever for you sir." Durel commented as he was awe struck from the story.

"Pfft, What mattered is that I saw that lass cuddlin with her babe." He said as he stood up.

"Wow, things sounded so very different back then compared to today. My father once told me such stories in his time. I never believed him until now." A human guard said.

"What's your opinion on things now compared to things back then? Do you ever regret retirement?" A Worgen guard asked.

"Aye everyone back then wanted retirement." Thark replied. "The difference is that it is just harder to be a gurd back then than now."

"Do you ever feel like wanting to come back to do what you can for today's wars?" Larkon asked.

"If I was younger, heck, me bones back then are as strong as an oak tree. But now lad, I think it's time to give it to the young ones like yourself." Thark answered.

The guards all watched and listened to Thark until they noticed the time. "Ah crap, looks like our break shift is over. Thank you for the story Thark, your a true Hero of Stormwind and the Alliance." A guard said as everyone started getting up to leave for their shift.

Larkon was about to leave until Thark stopped him. Larkon eyes shot open a little in fear because the last time he did this he threatened to shoot his testicles off.

"I got something for ye lad." Thark said.

"What would it be? And yes I remember that If I am bothering Alura or Kinar you would shoot my balls off." Larkon said somewhat indifferently.

"I ante going to shoot ye in the balls, yet." Thark answered.

"Then what?" Larkon asked a little confused yet slightly curious.

"Aye got something fer ye." He said as he pulled out a necklace. "It was supposed to be the young lad's gift fer him, but then it happened. So I would just be content on giving it to ye, so here laddie, take it." He said as he holds it in front of him.

Larkon gently took the necklace and inspected it. It was a small steel hunter's compass held by a small steel chain necklace. It had a few old runes of the Light inscribed on it. Larkon inspected it for a long time and looks back at Thark.

"Why me?" He asked a little confused.

"Tsk, I have something in the back of me head that Alura and Kinar would want to explore more with ye, so I guess it would be a good idea to give it just in case." He answered.

Larkon was silent for a few seconds, still pretty shocked. "I don't know what to say sir."

"Pfft, repay me by protecting them both in yer adventures with them." Thark said as he walked away back to the kitchen.

Larkon watched him leave to the kitchen. When he was out of sight, Larkon looked back at the necklace. He inspected and looked at it more before finally putting over his head and lay it around his neck. He sat there completely still to take a moment to get used to having it on him. After a few moments of such, he got up and began making his way out.

* * *

Joven slowly made his way into the Stormwind Keep. Still deeply hurt from the last conversation he had with his daughter. Though as always he hid this behind his calm and collected look and approach. Still he would rather just be left alone but he was told that Varian needed to speak to him personally about something of the highest importance.

His hooves paved way as he walked upstairs towards the entrance gate. The Stormwind Castle was somewhat eerily silent, were most were not on their posts, and the activities of the Guards were dormant. He looked around only to see a few numbers of them on their posts. Nonetheless he shakes it off and proceeds to move towards the castle.

A familiar face had his eye raising, Vindicator Maraad, an old friend just passed the gate. He raised his arm to him and hail him a greeting. "Maraad, it is unusual to see you here."

Maraad too notice of Joven. "Vindicator Joven, it's unusual to see you here as well. But now's not a good time to talk. I guess it's time to take arms once more." He said. "King Varian had summoned you I presume? Perhaps it would be wise to talk to him as he would reveal all you need to know on the events that is happening."

"Events that has happened?" Joven asked with a raised brow.

"Speak to him, he has all the information needed to fill our ignorance." He answered as he began to walk down stairs.

Joven watched him leave, his feeling of pain from the talk with his daughter now replaced with a feeling of confusion on what Maraad mentioned. Making haste, Joven made his way inside the Keep to find Varian.

He found him on a table, a miniature Dark Portal and a miniature army as a map was sprawled across the table underneath it.

"King Varian, you have summoned me that would be of utmost importance?" Joven started.

"I guess we have to take arms again Vindicator Joven." King Varian said.

"Varian, what has happened?" Joven asked as he made his way over to the table and looked at all the miniature models and maps.

"These figures Paladin, what do you see?" Varian asked as he gestured at them.

"From your words and the looks, I would say I see that something has happened regarding the Portal that involves all of the men and women of both factions and races." Joven answered.

"Yes, and this emblem." He pointed at a piece of paper that were marked on with a candle emblem. "Would start the day were we retaliate. This is no ordinary war Joven, this war is where we fight against the Old Horde once more, and once more we will defeat them if possible. And Perhaps…...we can save your people on the other side where you failed to do so thirty-five years ago."

Joven looked at him for a moment, looked at the emblem, and looked back at the Portal model.

"I see, so you are telling me that this Portal, has brought the Old Horde from thirty five years ago to our time. And we are now once again fighting them."

"Yes and we will be there to stop it."

Joven stared at the portal for a moment before looking back at Varian. "I assume Thrall is also aware of this?"

"All of them are aware." Varian answered.

"Does he have any ideas or clues to who could be responsible and why someone would bring the Old Horde to our time?" Joven asked next.

"Our concerns now is targeted at the Old Horde Joven, and for now it is irrelevant on who is responsible. As for now, it is time to rally our people to battle once more." Varian reached from his sheathe and pulls out his legendary sword, Shalamayne. "Would you agree to that Joven?"

"I understand sir, forgive me for putting other thoughts before what is important at the moment." Joven answered calmly. "But no matter, I guess…." He pulled out his two handed sword from his the sheathe on his back. "What would you have me do?"

Varian smiled.

* * *

The guards gathered around in the morning light as Jorden abruptly ended their sleep. They looked up to him in wonder and confusion, but Jorden's eyes were looking at them in concern and frustration. The men lined up, all of Jorden's squadron, as the others that were not from his squadron were looking at them in confusion also. Durel watched at the gate, wondering why Jorden would have his men be up so early.

Larkon on the other hand was wondering why Jorden's eyes were so full of concern, a trait where he had never seen before.

"I guess you will be wondering why you are all here? And probably know now about the Dark Portal." Jorden asked loudly in front of them.

Everyone remained silent as their form of answering yes.

Jorden gestured at a guard who was carrying a pile of papers in his hands. The guard approached him and handed to him. Jorden looked at the paper and sighed in sadness, sighed in anger, just every emotion he could think of. He approached the front guard, a worgen in his human form.

"Your name came up." He said as he gave the piece of paper, and the soldier's eyes just immediately widen.

"Your name came up." Jorden said once again as he moved to the other guards, he didn't even bother distributing it to the rest as he dropped the pile of papers in anger.

"Everyone here in this Light forsaken arena, who is in my squadron has had their name came up. Moira, the Bastard of ages had the idea to put us in in the front lines." He told, his nose was blazing as he exhaled heavily. "Now, I don't feel sorry for anyone of you because I'm going in there too, so if you want to have your necks hanged till you die I guess you'll stay here for more than a month. And I won't be going in there till a month has passed. So if you want the chances to live, have yourself a pass and fight." Jorden said, he didn't even bothered to say anything else as he turned his back and began to walk away.

Larkon on the other hand had his eyes narrowing in concern, anger, and fear, as he looked at the letter then to the signature.

"Signed. General Moira." He read to himself quietly so no one would hear him.


	10. It doesn't make any difference

Alura continued her normal daily routine at the church. Currently lighting the torches for the day so it could start. In the back of her mind she was concerned. For the past three days Larkon had not been showing up to the normal times of worship of the Light like he usually does. Her thoughts were quietly interrupted when she heard Kinar come in to give her a hand.

"Hey Alura, Larkon still hasn't shown up?" Kinar asked.

She looked at her and replied. "Yes, he still hasn't. It has been three days since he last visited here, and never once he missed a day in the church since I first got him to come." She answered and just sighed in a little bit of sadness. "I don't know what is going on with him."

"Maybe something changed in his schedule and they got him working during times for the Church." Kinar suggested.

"He said that there would be always a time to visit because Guards only shift when the church are finished with their daily worship. So there has to be something wrong." Alura stated. Looking at her in narrowed brow of concern as she turn her back and sat on a bench in wonder.

Kinar shivered a little at her next thought. Almost wishing she didn't have to say it next.

"Do you think he got in trouble again with that general?" Kinar asked.

Alura looked up to her. "I don't know, but Larkon told me himself the other week that he never bothered with that man anymore." She told her.

Kinar took a seat next to her and thought for a moment. "Have you heard anything about him from Thark?"

"That also concerns me Kinar, Thark said that for the last three days also, that he is looking like a dead man walking. That he is just sits there, eats, then walks away without much of a word to him." She told her as her lips curled into a concerned frown.

Kinar did the same. "What about the other guards, any word from them about him?"

"I never heard from them also. Thark says they come in his Inn mixed. Some of them angry, some of them silent, some of them living life as if it was their last days." Alura answered.

Kinar eyes shot open and she finally figured something out. "I see, now I think I know what's going on."

"What do you mean?" Alura questioned, but when she saw Kinar's eyes, the look of concern, fear and shame, her heart just shattered in disbelief. "Oh don't tell me…..don't tell me they are going to go out there and put their lives against them!"

"I got a message from my dad two days ago. It read that Orcs appeared from the Dark portal and attacked everyone. My dad and my brother went there to do what they can to control the situation. It's becoming big Alura, really big, it's got both King Varian and Chieftain Thrall on the edge of their boots. From what I'm gathering, I think Larkon and the others have been called for the Front Lines." Kinar said.

Alura just went silent, unable to answer as she stood up and began walking away. "I….I have to talk to him." She said shuddering.

"Do you need me to come with you?" Kinar asked.

"It's alright Kinar. I can handle myself, I would be just wasting your time if you would come." Replied Alura.

"Okay, but before you go, could you also pray for my family. My father and brother are out there right now fighting in the front lines. And I worry for them both, very deeply much." Kinar requested growing sad while tears were forming in her eyes.

"I will Kinar…." Alura said as she hugged Kinar softly to help her calm down before walking away.

Kinar watched her as she made her way down the stairs before walking down the streets. She wiped the tears away from her eyes as she looked up, but tears were pouring down once more. "Please guide them." Kinar prayed softly.

* * *

Larkon sat in his room in the barracks by himself. Just sitting there staring at the dark ground. He could not believe how it all came down to this. Was it fate, destiny, or just a random bad circumstance that this happened? This lingered and crawled in his head for the past few days. They could be his last days yet he did not know what to do. He wanted to stay and go back to the Church but felt that it would devastate his friends if he told the news to Alura and Kinar. He had little to no reason why he had to waste his final month there and put the news on them. So for that reason he avoided going there since he did not have the heart to break it to them. He also did not feel like act going out like some of the guards were doing as if it was their last night's alive to do whatever. He honestly just really had nothing he wanted to do for his final moments. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock at his door to see Durel come in.

"You can come in." Larkon just lazily shouted as he sat there alone.

Durel stepped in and took a seat. He looked as if he was speechless and was not sure what to say.

"Aren't you going to go celebrate what could be your final days with your wife and unborn child?" Larkon asked sadly.

"My name didn't come up, I have a different squadron." Durel replied, his face contorted as he looked at Larkon, who is now looking like as a shadow of his former self.

Larkon did not look at him but sighed. "That's good. You get to be there for them. So what made you visit?"

"Just wondering around, knowing that some, if not, most here in the barracks wouldn't be going back home." Durel softly replied, looking at the open door, in which he saw many of the guards were just wondering like themselves.

Larkon just nodded slightly. "Everyone is taking this personally in their own way."

"Yeah, I know. Some were just drinking themselves out, some were having sex with random strangers, and some would just wander around like us." Durel said.

"Well, if it's your last days, you do what you got to do, I suppose." Larkon answered.

Durel stood up. "I hope it won't Larkon….I hope it won't." He said as he walked away to the door.

Larkon would just look at him as he walked away, smiling even at his delusion of hope. He suddenly stood up and walked outside the barracks. Making his way over to his Captain's office. He knocked on the door and waited for the Captain to give him permission to enter. When he did, Larkon opened the door and stepped into the Captain's room.

"Were would be at this kind of days soldier?" Jorden suddenly asked, whose back was turned as he was looking at a portrait.

"Well it's been three days since you last spoke to us and I haven't seen you around since then. Wanted to check and see how you were doing?" Larkon answered.

Jorden puts the portrait down and just puts on a fake smile. "Ah, you shouldn't be concerning me soldier, just the old folk looking at memories." He replied.

Larkon looked at the portrait. It was portrait of a highly attractive high elf female with slim elven physique, long straight white hair tied in a ponytail, straight nose, pinkish pale skin, and blue eyes. In the portrait she wore a beautiful and elegant icy blue robe dress.

"Beautiful isn't she?" Jorden commented.

"Yes sir. Both beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside I would assume?" Larkon asked.

"Yes, that would be it. Very beautiful in both. Just looking at the memories would make me say that it was my fault on why she left me. With a woman with that kind of heart, it is the man who should be blamed." He said.

Larkon remained silent to let his captain continue.

"I don't know if she is raising our child alone, or if she is with another man's arms. I don't even know if she is alive or if our child was ever born or not." Jorden stated.

Larkon remained silent for another moment. "You knew her better than me. What do you think?" He asked gently.

"I don't know soldier. She is an unpredictable woman." He smiled as he takes a look at the portrait of her once more.

"Aren't women always unpredictable?" Larkon asked, smiling at least.

Jorden nodded in agreement. "They are."

"If so, for someone who was as close as to her as you were. Did you ever figure her out to predict what she would do?"

"That's what exactly what I was doing from the moment I met her. But I never predicted that she was enough from keeping me loving another." Jorden replied with a statement.

Larkon remained silent. "Should I ask?"

"What is it?" Jorden puts the portrait down.

"What it was like with you and her. And how it ended?"

"Well, I'm glad I got over it son." He started before telling. "What is it like to you when one day, you were sleeping with someone you are willing to die for. Smiling at you as she held your hand and made you rub her stomach for your future son or daughter? Then just tomorrow, you ended up alone with a note beside you saying 'I'm sorry'?" Jorden countered.

"I cannot begin to try and imagine sir." Larkon confessed.

"That's what it is soldier." Jorden said, before dismissing him.

"Sir...I'm sorry."

"Don't be, like I said. With a woman with that kind of heart, it is the man who should be blamed. So whatever I did, I deserved having her leaving me." He said as he looked back at the portrait then placing on the wall. "There's nothing here now soldier other than small talks, no orders from me, no nothing." Jorden said.

Larkon nodded at him, turning his back to be on his way. He looks back at his captain in an unseen location from his, he saw him resting his elbow on the table, his hands covering his face, looking like a depressed man. Who's to say he's not depressed?

"Hey Larkon."

Larkon looked over to see a group of soldiers walking up to him.

"Me and the boys are going to go party and we thought would you want to come join? You've been locked up in here by yourself for the past three days, can't be healthy for you, you know." A human guard asked.

Larkon turned his head at the road and replied. "I don't have the appetite for it." He said.

"Come on Larkon join us, it be fun and it would definitely what you need." A night elf guard mentioned.

He shook his head briefly then began walking away, never bothering himself to look back at them. His eyes narrowed in annoyance, his hands clenched to a fist as he neared his tent. He takes a look back at them, showing there they were really just having fun for themselves. Nothing matters to anyone at this kind of days.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there in his tent. He lost track of time some time ago when he stopped caring.

"Larkon?" He heard Alura's familiar voice call to him from outside his tent.

He turned his attention to her, and just stood up in surprise. "Oh Alura, I didn't expect you to be here." He excused himself as he cleaned his straps from his mat. "So what would I have you for? Water? Coffee?" He asked, this was a surprise for Alura as she never saw him so, uncaring for himself.

"A talk, please." She requested softly.

"Oh?" He raised his brow. "I mean, there's nothing to talk about here really, just having our daily lives for our sake." He said.

"Well I haven't seen you at the Church for the past three days so I just wanted to check up on you." She answered.

He just randomly chuckled. "Sorry about that. I have been busy." He said as he puts the straps of his armor in his trunk.

"Mind if I come in?"

"Oh please come in, if you want I can prepare a drink for ourselves." He insisted half-heartedly.

Alura stepped inside his tent and took a seat by a table he had. Larkon prepared a few glasses of water for them and handed one to Alura.

"So I'm curious Alura, what made you visit?" He asked as he sat down on a chair, he didn't look so happy nor he was looking like he was interested in anything.

She sighed. "I think I know why you've been so busy lately, why you haven't had the chance to visit the Church, and why you look like it's the end of the world soon." She answered.

He sighed also, though smiling, he was looking like he was not having a good day of any second of the month. "Just busy, trying to keep tabs with my fellow colleagues." He said.

"Larkon." She placed a hand on his armored one. "What's going on? What's bothering you? Is it regarding the portal?"

He retracted his hand from her and just stood up to unstrap the gauntlet from it. "Just getting information that I don't like." He said as he worked his way to take off his gauntlet.

She sighed sadly. "I knew it."

"Yes you knew and it doesn't make any difference." He said as he walked towards his trunk once more, opening it and then putting the last of his gauntlet there, the slight venom in his tone made the draenei slightly left out.

"Larkon…"

"Oh sorry about that Alura, I didn't mean to be rude to you." He said as he looked at her.

"Larkon. It's alright. I know you're hurt from this, but please let me help you." Alura asked softly.

He just shook his head and smiled in somewhat disbelief. "There's nothing to help Alura." He said. "Just look, in a month I'm going in there and fight some six and a half feet tall orcs from the past. All I can do is hope that I would get back here in the camp with my head on my shoulders."

"Well there has to be something I can't just let them do that to you when you've done nothing wrong to deserve such a cruel fate." Alura answered.

"No, but this is my work." He replied.

"Larkon there has to be something. I mean I could talk to my father maybe he could do something about this." Alura suggested.

"What does he have, if the letter suggest that I'll have head on a rope if I don't then surely I'm going in there to take that chance on going home." Larkon said as he sat down on the trunk of his armory.

"I don't know but he's got to have something that outranks or out classes whoever gave that order I mean he's good friends with the king of Stormwind for crying out loud and everywhere he goes people are awe inspired by him and his actions against the Lich King. He's got to have some kind of privilege, just….. I don't know okay…" Alura just yelled out.

He stood up and approached her, he was just inches away from her when she stood, facing her directly right in the eye. "What If I say no Alura? What If that I say, I'm no coward because I'm a fighter?" He countered, his face just mere inches from her as he looked down at her eyes.

She looked away from his gaze sadly. "I would say that it's unfair. You who are such a nice and gentle person who has suffered more than he has should. And yet you keep getting punished for things you haven't done or having wrong things committed to you for doing nothing to cause them. It's not fair." She answered sadly.

"Look at me Alura."

Alura slowly turned her head to look back at him, her eyes tearing up slightly.

"I'm not going to take advantage of you doing what you are doing. If that is your decision." He holds her wrist gently. "Then I'm not going to stop you." He said as he moved her wrist to her face, while his other hand moved her fingers to wipe the small tricks of tears from her.

"But…" she tried talking but was having trouble. "I can't just sit by and do nothing to try and help you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that I could've done something but was powerless to save such a good friend of mine." She begged.

He moved his hand away from her and gently hugged her softly. "I understand and appreciate it, but it's okay. I'm just glad to have a friend to talk to at this moment who cares as much as you do." He told her softly.

She was a little surprised by the small hug. Still she remained still as she lets him continue.

"I'm glad to have met you. Grateful for everything you've done for me up until now. So you don't have to do anything else for me. I'm happy with all the blessings you have shown me so it's okay." He finished.

She just slightly clenched from him, smiling yet it harbored sadness. "Larkon…." She didn't have any words to say rather than speaking his name. She looked at him in the eyes and just motioned on, as he pat her shoulder.

"It's going to be okay. Because when I go over there, I have no intentions of going down without a bang. So I will do everything I can to try and make it back here in one piece." Larkon smiled.

"Please don't say that, please tell me that you are GOING to come back." She begged, this time the tears on her eyes were no longer small trickles. Her lips were curled to a frown as her hands hold on to his arms.

Larkon gently lets her go and softly took her hands and held them in his. They contradicted so differently to each other. Her hands feeling so soft and gentle compared to his hard and rough ones.

"I give you my word as a friend and as a soldier, I will come back."

Alura nodded at him, yet she felt like trusting his words will shatter her.

"Come on, let's get that pretty face of yours cleaned up." He suggested as he picked up a small rag and started gently drying her tears with it.

She just smiled at him, even after all the emotional transitions in their talks, she just blushed slightly towards his comment. "You really think I'm pretty?"

Larkon nodded with a smile as he continued to dry her face. "Absolutely. And much more than that. I think you are beautiful"

"Thank you for that Larkon." She said.

When Larkon finished he sat the rag down and looked back at Alura. "I need to go speak with the new trainer about some stuff going on tomorrow. I promise to try and come back to the Church more often before my draft next month. I'll see you later."

She just stood there as she watched him leave, everything she felt was mixed in emotions. Sadness, happiness, anything that would suggest how she felt during their talks. Even though he wiped the tears from her eyes, some still trickled down from hers. She just tried to smile, or at least look on towards him as he trekked down upstairs. Time passed by certainly at that point, but she didn't yet leave as her eyes hovered over his resting place. Smiling, but she frowned a moment later before leaving.

Meanwhile, Larkon made his way over back to the training yard. Remembering that he did have the option to train with the new trainer that just arrived. Some of the guards who were called like him chose to spend their time to get ready for what was to come. He figured he might as well do the same. Arriving at the courtyard, he found several men standing in attention waiting for the new trainer to come. He soon got dressed in a set of training armor and stepped in with them to wait for the new trainer.

"How long till the new trainer arrives?" Larkon asked one of them.

"Just line with us, he will be here in a minute." They said, and Larkon just nodded as he lined up with them.

They had their eyes on the door as they waited for their trainer. Loud thunderous steps was heard, their eyes though looking at the door like as if looking at a large lion. They all fell silent when their trainer finally arrived. They thought it was just rumors on how large he was, but it is no longer rumors when their skin paled out.

Auburn hair, broad shoulders, showing his heavily muscled physique even under the clad of his armor. Standing at seven feet tall he towered at everyone, including the Night Elves who just stand at six and a half. He carried a two handed axe on that was sheathe on his back, adorned in runic patterns, the edge of it was serrated with spikes, it's crest on the middle of the blunt contained a glowing red jewel. As if matching the appearance of its wielder. When they saw a long scar across the brow and to his cheek, it indicated a veteran in the battle field. Though he looked like he was still in his youth at his early or mid-thirties. His lips were curled into a frown, his eyes were narrowed as he looked at them.

"So this would be my new trainees?" He started, his voice though at least was not deep as they thought as the sound was like any other trainer they would here.

The guards all stood ready in attention.

"I will just sight see around the city, you can just go to the restaurant once you finish." A soft voice said.

Their heads turned to see a female Night Elf with a white flowing hair draped in a black robe. She was carrying a child in her arms, which it looked like it was still a month old while two other children were there also, girls that looked exactly alike. Twins to be indicated of which they aged somewhat around five years old.

The guards were a little shocked to see the Night Elf woman and what appeared to be half night elf half human children. Nevertheless they were awe struck on how beautiful she was. Even Larkon himself was surprised at how beautiful the night elf woman was.

"Yes, I'll put it in mind." The large trainer answered.

The Night Elf woman approached him in to which he had to slightly bend down for her to reach his cheeks for a quick kiss.

When she finished with the quick kiss, she made her way out of the arena with the two Night Elf twin children following her close by. One stopped to wave at the trainer a little before rushing off to join back with her mother.

The trainer smiled for a bit, but then immediately turned his head towards the trainees with his signature intimidating frown. "Do you know why I am here?" He asked loudly.

"To better prepare us for what we will have to face next month in the front lines sir!" A Worgen guard answered loudly.

"No. I am here because I am paid to do so, I don't give a damn if you will survive or not. General Moira instructed me to teach you on how to at least survive. If in the end of the day, you go home your mission is accomplished and you are now able to retire for good. No longer will they force you to such wars." He said. "And do you know also know who I am?" He asked loudly once more.

"Sir you are one of the many champion heroes alongside Paladin Joven who helped stopped the Lich King and the wielder of Shadowmourne sir!" A human guard answered.

"Not just that soldier. Veteran of the Third war, fought the Warchief Thrall on Stonetalon Peak in Kalimdor. One of the soldiers who hold off against the Orcs in an effort to save the legendary Grom Hellscream. A Front liner in Mount Hyjal against the Burning Legion, and a former personal bodyguard to my dear friend, Jaina Proudmoore Himself." He told them.

The guards stood silent as they listened in seriously and carefully with every word he spoke right down to the detail of every letter.

"Now soldier, do you think you could have many achievements like me?" He asked them.

"Sir our goal is not to achieve achievements and claim fame. Our goal is to do what we can as soldiers of Stormwind and hope to live to retirement." Larkon answered as the other guards agreed with him.

The trainer looked at him, smiling, then he takes a step on approaching him. "I've had that mentality before soldier." He gripped his head. "Back in my days, when I was just a young teenager, I was crushing coconuts with my bare hands." He said as he began to squeeze. "Now, can you help me with that soldier?" He asked coldly.

Larkon winced in pain. "Sir…." He mumbled as the trainer let go.

"Good, now let's begin." He said as he went back in front. "Now, I ask you can you have achievements like I have. The point is soldier." He looked at Larkon then back to everyone else. "Is to have a mentality that when you get on that battlefield, you're not going to think on surviving, you are going to think on how many orcs you could kill on that battlefield to show off to everyone. That's what I did before going to that Mountain against demons."

Larkon and everyone nodded.

"Now in that sense." He cracked his knuckles. "Let's begin."


	11. The Losses

Time seemed to fly so very fast when you want it to stop. That's what Alura thought to herself. She tread carefully as the gates appeared to open, amassing thousands of soldiers from their ordeal. They looked all gaunt, covered in sweat, their eyes looking tired and especially their stains around their armor….blood.

She looked at each of their faces, looking for someone specifically, her eyes were darting from left and right looking at the right one. When her eyes darted at the carts, her light blue skin paled. Her heart was beating rapidly to the extent of collapsing, her breath becomes heavy when she saw the images. Mountainous is what she can describe at the event, her eyes were looking at them like fire was burning around her. Their bodies were covered under the sheets but the blood that were oozing out and staining them tells their stories.

When she saw a familiar face, she at least sighed in relief when the Captain climbed down from the cart. Her eyes of relief eventually dread when he looked at her with lifeless eyes.

She approached him slowly just to ask. "Captain, is Larkon alright?" She desperately asked.

Jorden didn't answer as he averted his eyes from hers. He gestured at the other guards to help him carry the dead man with them, which was resting under the blood stained sheets. For Alura it was all the answer she need.

She could recognize the outlines of the hair that was partially uncovered. The hands that she once touched comes hanging down loosely as it was dripping in blood. Her eyes shed tears are her heart heart shattered, she covered her lips with her palms in an effort to muffle her cries. Her knees collapsed as they carried his body away.

She bolted up from her sleep from the sound of loud thunder and lightning striking outside the Church. The heavy rain continuing to poor fiercely as the storm of the night continue. Her body was sweating heavily, dripping down, staining her nightingale. She stood up, noticing the weight of her breaths. She tried to calm herself down with soft relaxing breaths. It worked for a moment, but it didn't last long when another thunderous bolt of lighting from outside shocks her.

She looked at the window to see it was still late at night, nothing new, nothing less as time was passing by. It's been more than a month since she and Larkon had their talks in the camp, and they made themselves up by just pouring at their hearts out of their emotions. She felt empty, she felt weak, and she was afraid.

They both tried to have what time they left to last. There was no mistaking that Larkon was only putting a fake smile for her to cheer on, and what was worst for her is that she just played along with him. She didn't do anything but rather tagged along with the delusion that everything else is going to be alright with them, and that in the end they are going to still see each other.

She leaned and looked on at the window once more imagining a Human clad in armor across the dark street. Her tears were swelling her eyes as she shed once more.

Realizing she wasn't going to get any sleep anytime soon, she pulled the covers off her and stepped out of her bed. She made her way over to her little desk, pulled out a piece of paper, and started writing another letter with a quell. This was another letter to her father who she had been trying to get in contact with to try and see if he could do anything to help Larkon. Yet for the past month since Larkon left she has heard nothing from him.

Her thoughts for what to put for the letter were interrupted when she heard a knock at her door. She looked over to see Kinar who was in her Worgen form and wearing a white nightingale.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Alura asked.

Kinar nodded. "Was worried, for my brother, my dad...I'm worried, I'm also worried for you." Kinar said.

Alura nodded to her before going back to writing with her letter.

"Another letter for your dad?" Kinar asked.

"Yes, just trying on anything that would help Captain Jorden's squadron." She answered.

Kinar looked at the letter for a moment and then back to Alura. "How many have you sent to him?"

Alura shook her head slightly as she wrote her words. "I don't know I lost count from two weeks. I have been sending him letters since Larkon informed me." She told her.

"And yet he hasn't responded to any of them?" Kinar questioned.

"He did not. I think it has something to do with our argument since we last spoke with each other. He wanted me to come home to Exodar and I didn't want to." Alura answered somewhat coldly.

"That's a little odd don't you think? Even with that, I know your father would do anything to get you to see him on the light once more." Kinar questioned with a raised brow.

"We'll never know till a week would pass by once more. And I know that, he wanted to spend time with me but I'm fed up of giving him chances Kinar, he had those chances I gave and every time he broke my heart, and I just gave up at the delusion of him. And when new friends came about that are willing to spend time…..I just…." She stopped writing as her hands were clenching around the quill, tears were running down her face once more.

"Alura?"

"I didn't get to say goodbye Kinar."

Kinar gasped quietly after hearing this. Now if there was any reason to be worried for her close friend, she now heard it from her.

"When I arrived I was already too late when the cart was rolling down the gates…..I tried to chase after them Kinar, I tried." She cried, then she looked at her. "I saw him….his head was down, he was looking at me, looking like he was confused, sad, I don't know what he felt there. I wished, to just say goodbye at least! Was it just too much to ask!" She was now slightly shouting, as she held herself.

"Alura, shh...calm down…" Kinar approached her and hugged her gently to her soft Worgen form to let her cry on her shoulder.

"He told me, when we were at Elwynn, that I should not worry about death, and that I should just worry about life…...how can I supposed to do that?" She whimpered, burying her face on Kinar's fur shoulder crying. Trying to just hold on to her as best as she could.

"He'll come back I know he will and we'll do everything we can to bring him back as early as we can. But the important thing is we can't lose hope. Not with people we deeply care for are out there." Kinar said softly.

Alura looked up to her and nodded. "I hope….I hope." She mumbled as she wiped her tears away.

"Do you want to get some coffee, it's still very late at night and it's going to be a little bit before we can get back to sleep." Kinar offered.

Alura pulled away from her and nodded. "Yes, coffee would be nice."

The two put on some night robes before exiting Alura's room to go off to get some coffee.

* * *

The thunders roared at the camp, the hard pouring rain were staining everyone till they were soaking wet. None was able to have their sleep in this night today or anywhere else's tomorrow. They looked at the gate, only the moonlight were their source of illumination as the rain puffed the embers out of their torches. Their hands were at their sheathes at most times, as their eyes were narrowed in readiness for an attack.

Their lips were curled into frowns as they looked at the jungle of Tanaan. The houses already were filled with bodies of some of their men, killed in action as they made their way here. Their attitudes were changing, the blood on their hands were staining their souls, their eyes were shifting from life to death in every second they stayed their and that was the only thing that as saving them from the battlefield.

Larkon was kneeling down to a body covered by a white sheet stained with blood. His hands were on the dead man's armored chest as he kneeled in prayer. "You enjoy yourself up there brother. You earned your place amongst the heroes." Larkon said as he stood up.

"Larkon! Get back to your post at the gate." He heard Jorden and turned to see him under the pouring rain just like he is.

His growing hair was covering his brows, he didn't bother replying to the captain as he immediately proceeded at his command. Since he wasn't too far from his post, it didn't take him much time to get there. He saw some of the guards shivering from the cold rain while a few sneezed from the cold.

"Hell is too good fer general Moira." A Dwarf guard growled.

Larkon looked at the Dwarf, and agreed as he nodded in his direction. He turned to the gates once more as he looked on with indifference at the pouring rain against their armor and skin.

He stared at a distance for sometime until he saw a few guards who were sent out on patrol running towards their direction. They appeared to be covered in blood from deep gashes and slashes all across them. From his count, Larkon spotted only four returned of the fifteen that were sent.

The guards around the gate opened it for them as they speed their way towards Jorden. The looks of the other guard were no longer ingesting fear, but they were now ingesting anger. The toll of the battles took them from what they know of fear. They just have their hands on the sheathe of their swords as they waited for Captain Jorden for orders.

"What in the name of the Light happened?" Jorden barked.

The deeply wounded patrol collapsed on the ground from their injuries. When Jorden saw that they were too injured to speak he realized the situation at hand.

"They're coming, we won't be able to hold them off, it would be stupid to stay here any longer. Their going to overwhelm us with their sheer numbers. And just like the description on the orc Warchief, it is Kilrrog Deadeye himself who ambushed us." The other said.

"Sir, what do we do?" Larkon asked.

Jorden looked at the wounded patrol a little.

"Sir?" Larkon asked again.

Jorden snapped back into reality. "Fall back."

"What?" A guard asked."

"I said we're falling back." Jorden yelled in repeat. "Were falling back under the pouring rain, and the night will help us camouflage." He yelled once more as he pointed at the guards. "We are going North back to Honor hold and by then we will report that were are attacked and unable to go back…...and we're going home."

Everyone was silent from the orders that Jorden just gave. Jorden noticed this and yelled. "You all heard me now pack up and let's go NOW!"

Everyone in the camp saluted and began to do their business. Larkon immediately prepared the horses to pull the cart for their equipment. He wiped the water on his eyes and was struggling on strapping the horses to the cart. A large and burly hand came to lift up and help him strap the horses as he tugged the belt.

"Aye let me help ye with that lad, we are going home after this." The Dwarf guard said.

Larkon noded and let the Dwarf guard help him strap the horses. The sudden thunder strike from the sky startled the horses and caused the two to lose their grips. Before they could grab the horse they ran, causing them to escape through the gate. They tried to chase after them but their eyes saw what they hope was not an Orc. They stopped themselves from their tracks as the thunder causes them to see the image of the figure. A sword made out of bone it's shaft were protruding with spikes and his right eye has a hole for an eye. Brown skin that were embedded with tattoos, a hulking mass on its tall height. They don't mistake it. By then the camp soon heard the war horn of the Orcs of the Iron Horde closing in.

"Sir they're here!" A guard at the patrol gate shouted.

Thunder strikes against and all of the men who were looking at the Warlord Chieftain, saw that he pointed his sword towards them.

"I am Kilrogg Deadeye. I am chieftain of the Bleeding Hollow clan. Many humans have I slain. You will not be the last." The chieftain announced before letting out a loud warcry to signal his Orcs to attack.

The orcs roared in bloodthirsty rage as they all charged forth weapons drawn and ready. The loud clang of metals shattered the ears of the guards as they came charging towards them. Roaring like a tiger on it's prey as they charged at them. Loud thunderous footsteps can be heard throughout the camp even under the loud pouring rain. For the moment at that point, everyone was silent as fear takes over them.

Larkon and the Dwarf made a sprint back to the camp to regroup with the guards. The orcs of Kilrig's clan high on their heels and closing in.

"Sir orders sir!" The men shouted.

"Just run!" Jorden yelled. "Take the remaining horses and strap them at the cart as fast as you can. While we take the other route on bare feet."

"Sir what about the sick and injured sir?" Another guard asked.

"Put them on the carts, the rest of the items be damned." He said. "Take the men and make sure they get home!"

In a panic, they saluted and did what they could as they were ordered. As Jorden and some men prepared to leave to lead the Orcs away from their injured comrades, Larkon joined in with them, much to Jorden's anger.

"What the, no you go with them!" Jorden ordered.

"Sir by my right as a soldier it is an obligation for me to stand guard with the captain!" Larkon told Jorden.

Jorden slapped him. "Don't quote that damn textbook at me soldier. It's my obligation as a captain to make sure all his men get home safe! Go now, and when you get back you'll be replacing me!" Shouted Jorden as he unlocked his trunk and grabs his sword.

"I'm sorry sir but I'm going with you to help lead the orcs away from the sick and injured sir." Larkon answered.

"Be damn with you." He just commented and points at some group of soldiers that numbered at least twenty of them. "Get ready, we're going to move! They will be following us when we take flight, while the rest go north to Honor Hold. Is that clear?!"

"Sir yes sir!" Larkon saluted.

"Then stopping standing their saluting me like some idiot with his head up his ass and get going!" Jorden yelled.

They opened the back gate of the camp and the carts came running with their horses, at least seventy five men were on loaded with them, along with the sick and injured. Carrying nothing but the bodies of their fallen comrades. It took them at least a minute to finally evacuate from the camp as Jorden looked on, feeling a little bit of victory over himself.

"Let's go!" He yelled as they come running.

* * *

Deep within ruins of old Orc civilization, a few of Kilrrog's orcs explored deep within on patrol. The light of their torches where the only sources of light they had. Carefully they explored the temple like ruins and stared in awe of statues of Orc Warchiefs so old that even they did not know who or what they are or what they were famous for. Regardless their orders were to patrol for any enemies that could hide down here. So with a shrug they walked away out of the temple room.

Unknown to them, an Imposing, twisted, and dark demonic looking Night Elf with mid-back length teal colored hair tied in a thick ponytail and lean yet very muscular build in the peak of physical health. Sat in a crouched position on top of a roof beam concealed by the darkness of the room. He was a demon hunter at the pinnacle of his dark evolution as identified by his glowing green burning eyes, demonic scaly dark violet skin, fairly small horns, and clawed feet and hands. His most noticeable trait was his various demonic runic tattoos on his arms and chest that glowed with a yellow-green color.

He wore large silver shoulder pads, silver bladed gauntlets with short sleeves over black fingerless gloves, a silver girdle that protected the waist, and black baggy trouser pants tucked under silver greaves. The shoulder guards, girdle, and greaves had yellowish green demonic runes carved into them. Finally he wore a demonic plate mask that covered the lower half of his face, leaving only the dark but mundane-looking fabric blindfold that covered his green glowing eyes visible. His glowing green eyes were still visible even through the blindfold, giving him a frightening and intimidating appearance.

The Demon Hunter watched the Orcs from the shadows until they exited the room. When they left he hopped down from his position and landed onto the ground without sound. Quietly he walked over to one old statues of an unnamed Orc Warchief and observed it.

"Daken." The Night Elf now identified as Daken heard a voice call him from behind.

He turned around to see the black haired Blood Elf Warlock with the painted magical runes around his left eye.

"Move." the Warlock ordered and the Demon Hunter stepped aside.

With a wave of his hand, the Warlock casted a blast of felfire to destroy magical holy sigils that were hidden underneath the statue. Resulting in a loud explosion blast that destroyed the sigil but left the statue unharmed.

With the sigil gone, Daken drew one of Demon Hunter Warglaives from his back. He spinned it rapidly in his right hand before doing a lightning fast slash at the statue. Within a few moments after the quick slash, the upper part of the statue stood there before falling clean right off. The Blood Elf Warlock walked over to the now cut in half statue and began looking inside.

However as a result of the felsire spell he casted, the orc patrol from earlier came rushing in to find the source of the noise. The orcs came, though only few in numbers but they were deterred in anger. "Intruders!" They shouted in their language as they raised their axes, rushing towards them.

The Warlock didn't even bother looking at the orcs or seem to even care. "Kill them." He simply said.

Daken drew his other Demon Hunter Warglaive on his back and popped his neck before rapidly spinning both blades in his hands a little and got into a fighting stance. The orcs rush in sluggishly, swinging their large weapons with no experience, nothing more than mindless swinging in the air. It served to be their downfall as the Demon Hunter's eyes glowed in brighter green as he blocked the attack hard enough to knock the weapon away from the orc. Before the first orc could comprehend what happen, the Demon Hunter did a low slash to cut his stomach open. Following up with a spin heel kick to his jaw to snap the orc's neck into. Daken did not finish though for he then proceeded to do a jump double front kick to send the body flying towards the other group of orcs.

When another orc came in axe ready, Daken dashed towards the orc with fel-infused speed to slash the orc's throat. From there, the Demon Hunter performed another fel-infused lightning quick slashes to slash open the orc's chest within a matter of seconds. It was then he saw two more Orcs come dashing towards him and throw their weapons at him. Using an impressive display of acrobatics, Daken did a back butterfly twist to dodge the thrown weapons while throwing his warglaives towards the Orcs and infusing them with fel-energy. The tonfa warglaives easily slashed the heads clean off of the orcs and ricochet bounced off the wall. Upon landing on his feet, he retrieved his warglaives once they bounced right back to his location.

The last Orc from the patrol watched in horror at what he saw but soon becomes enraged and rushed towards the Nightelf. The Nightelf simply stared in emotionless silence as he waited for the orc to come to him. When the Orc was within range and swung at the Demon Hunter, Daken did a front split to dodge the attack and stab his warblades through the orc's stomach. The orc stopped in place and froze in pain while dropping his weapon to the ground. He looked down and found himself staring into the frightening glowing eyes that glowed through the blindfold of the demon hunter. The Night Elf soon lets his warblades go to do a back walkover kick to kick the warglaives further through the orc's chest. Grabbing the handles to slash the orc in half to finish him off.

With all the orcs dead, Daken swinged the blood away from his weapons and placed them back on his back. The Warlock Blood Elf watched from where he was and clapped for the Demon Hunter. With him he carried a very old small chest in his arms.

"We have what we need." The warlock said before he and Daken started walking off.

* * *

Captain Jorden and the group made their way through the forest. The pouring rain made up to cover the sounds of their footsteps and the night was also made use to hid themselves from their sights. They were panting in exhaustion as the group sat to rest, leaning their backs against the trees.

"How many?" Jorden suddenly asked through deep breaths.

"I don't know, I lost count after ten." A guard answered in deep exhausted breaths.

"We move after a minute or two to hold our breath, and by then we will find some shelter that would hide us, and would return to walk towards Honor Hold on foot in the night." Jorden said.

Larkon and the other guards listened carefully and noded as they try catching their breaths.

"Sir, what are we going to do about General Moira when we get back?" A Gnome guard asked.

"I'll report that man to King Varian himself when we get back. I should've asked an exception for us when we were nothing more than patrols and town militias." He told them.

"But what if Moira brands you a coward or traitor for ordering us to fall back. You could be hanged for such actions?" A night elf guard asked in concern.

Jorden sighed. "The reports will handle us, and by then we are retirees of war. And I don't even know why you bother on coming here in Stormwind if you could just rest your ass off on Darnassus with the rest of your people." He stated as rested his elbow on his knees.

"Sir we all signed up because we all wanted not to rest our butts off but do what we could to help anyway we could sir." Larkon stated.

"Aye, I think I found something!" A Dwarf guard called out.

Jorden stood up and followed suite to where the Dwarf pointed. "What would we have ourselves soldier?" He asked as he stood at his side.

"A cave sir, looks abandoned with little to no evidence of any activity. We could take shelter in here" Larkon suggested as he puts his hand on the sheathe of his belt.

"Likewise, keep your swords in your hands, we don't know what we're dealing here in the forest at night with this pouring rain." Jorden said as he combed the locks that covered his eyes with his hand. He wiped the water off his face and squinted to see a better look. "Let's move." He ordered, gesturing his hand up then flicking his fingers forward.

The rest of the guards followed Jorden as they started making their way into the cave. Entering quickly as they heard the Orcs they thought they had lost moving in closer to their position. They sighed in relief as they made shelter on the cave, their eyes fixated outside, trying to be cautious. It was made clear that at least the cave housed their numbers of twenty. Jorden sat down and exhaled and inhaled deeply in relief as he rested his back on the rocks.

"Ruins." Jorden commented as he look up, though their vision of the area was little because of the night, the illumination from the moonlight prove to be enough for them to see where they are.

They couldn't make out much due to how dark it was. However they did see that the ruins seem to stretch out further below down the cave. Thinking that deeper in the cave would be better to hide then close to the entrance, the group got up on their feet and started making their way down further below into the caves.

"I could see that this are some old ruins of Orcs, probably Clan or Tribes of the old and forgotten." Jorden said as he looked at the glowing symbols, noticing a shamanian descent. "A tribe of shamans, I could tell." He continued.

"How old do you think they are sir?" Larkon asked.

"Do I look like some historian to you soldier?" He asked in annoyance.

"No sir but you were able to tell that they have shamanian descent sir." Larkon answered.

"Symbols of wind and fire, you can see them glow." He told them as he looked towards his men. "Don't go any further, we must be atleast able to see the exit of the cave, we can't risk ourselves in going in there, we don't know what kind of creatures lurking down below." Jorden said to them.

Suddenly an orc axe was then thrown at them, missing Jorden by mere inches. They all looked behind to see a group of orcs entering the entrance of the cave to chase after them.

"Ah damnit nevermind, keep moving further men!" Jorden yelled as they started rushing deeper into the cave to try and escape from the orcs now chasing them. "You Night Elf, lead the way, use your eyes to see the cave through." He ordered.

The Night Elf nodded and took front to lead the group through the darkness.

"Try to sandwich them down in one strike!" Jorden screamed back at his men as they took flight down the narrow halls. Only the glowing symbols around the ruins was the means of illumination for them. The men looked back at the charging orcs, seeing them closing was starting to cause panic amongst the ranks.

"Don't panic! Just follow, we will kill them all in one strike!" Jorden shouted at them, boosting their morale as the men put their determination back at their minds.

"Captain, there is a room big enough yet narrow enough to get them killed, we can position ourselves in both ways, making a trap for the orcs." The Night Elf said as he turn to his left, followed by Jorden and everyone.

"Better take that chance!" Jorden shouted as he unsheathe his sword. "Everyone two lines, a dozen in each, don't ask just do!" He shouted and the men nodded.

Larkon stayed for a moment to close a door in an attempt to hinder their chase. "Good one soldier, that would buy us some time." Jorden turned back at him.

The men immediately split into a line formation when the Night Elf signaled it was the room, while Jorden locked the other set of doors inside to have time to plan. "Line formation, put them out in one strike, the initial ambush would be our best attempt to kill them." Jorden said to them as the men used the shadows of the walls to conceal themselves. The captain had himself on the front end to signal the charge.

The loud bump of the door signaled their approach, the men were sweating as their hands clenched tightly at their swords. All of them were breathing heavily, their eyes no longered pictured fear but rather survival and determination as they pit themselves against them. Jorden narrowed his brow as he looked at the front door, cracks begin to form as the orcs pounded their way in. With the cracks of the door now growing bigger for every second, Jorden and his men all took a deep breathe.

When the last pound paved their way against the door, they rushed into the middle, swinging nothing but air, numbering at least the same as them.

"Strike!" The orcs heard the shout, looking around to see metal clad warriors come crashing down on them with pointed ends. The men strike them down as the blade came in contact with the neck of its opponent, killing them instantly as they charged down.

They managed to kill, but the sounds of human scream was also heard when the orc crash its axe down the shoulders of the victim. Jorden tossed his blade at the orc as he put his axe down once more to finish, but was killed first, crashing his body down on the injured soldier.

Larkon's eyes widened when he saw a purple skinned soldier on the floor covered in blood with lifeless eyes, along with two orcs with him. He pushed down the image and caught himself in the midst of the battle. Blocking a large blow of a hammer from the orc, spraining his right arm due to the force of the blow. An axe came crashing down on the orc's head, causing him to look at who he was, and saw that it was the Dwarf.

"Aye lad, it ain't over." He said as he helped him stand up. With no more talks to pursue, the Dwarf charged at the fray once more, locking himself on the battle as the tide shifted on their favour. Screams of boosted morale were now echoing along the narrow halls of the ruins as the men tasted victory on the skirmish. The swords slashed flesh and blood spurts from it as the men screamed in bloodlust.

An eternity almost seemed to pass by as the men fought and bled on the battle, fusing their souls along with their swords till the last of their men put their sword down on the throat the orcs.

Jorden saw the moment of victory when the men put their swords all together on one, looking at them with pride and honor. He raised his sword in the air as he signaled the end.

He looked around and saw the floors and the walls painted in blood, all in all the majority of the bodies that scattered were orcs. However it could not be denied that he can count the number of bodies of his men.

"One…." He looked at the once breathing Night Elf guard, putting his lips to curl into a frown. "Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight." He ended his count to the last, looking at a Worgen in his form, with a pool of blood on his grave.

The captain sat down as the men tried to take in mind on the current ordeal. Larkon looked down on his shoulder and saw a large gash, just three inches across and at least an inch deep, now oozing in blood as as he removed his spaulders and put pressure on the wound.

"Aye dem flim flamming orcs." He heard him groaned. Larkon looked on where it was and saw the Dwarf sitting down, resting his back on the wall, putting pressure on his large chest wound. He narrowed his brow in concern and walked his way over to him.

"We won." Larkon said to him, making the Dwarf look up to him with a smile, yet it immediately faded down.

"Aye, but me chest ain't having a good time lad." The Dwarf joked. "Prolly goin down with me wound." He said to himself, loud enough for Larkon to hear.

"Come on, don't say that."

Jorden watched from a distance Larkon talking to one of the injured guards. He looked back at all the injured and the few remaining uninjured guards.

"I want the four of you uninjured to search for an exit out of here. The rest stay with the injured and do what you can." Jorden ordered.

The four uninjured guards which only consisted of a Gnome, two humans, and another Night Elf guard noded. Grabbing their equipment, they packed their needed things and made their way deeper to the cave to try and find a exit. When they left, Jorden walked over to Larkon who by now he could tell the Dwarf bled out and died from his wounds quietly. Larkon reached a hand over to the Dwarf's face and closed his eyes gently. Jorden placed a hand on Larkon's shoulder which got Larkon to look back towards him.

"Another one goes along." Jorden commented softly, standing over as he looked at the soldier kneeling in prayer.

"Time to go home after this." Larkon said to him.

"Working on that now. Got some men scouting ahead for an exit. Can't risk going out the way we came in incase more of those Old Horde bastards are waiting." Jorden commented.

Larkon noded and walked over to a nearby rock to sit down. He sighed and just rested his face on his uninjured arm. The men figured it was going to be a while so they all sat down to waited for the others to get back.

Around some unknown time later, around that time all the other heavily injured men had died from their wounds. Leaving now only Larkon, Jorden, and only three or four guards left. Jorden cursed under his breath as he watched the last seriously injured soldier die in front of him while he held his hand tightly.

Just as stood up and was about to ask someone where the hell was the patrol he sent earlier. He got his answer when he saw the Gnome guard come rushing in. In critical serious condition with slashes all across him, bleeding everywhere and missing one of his arms. A look of pure horror was on his face as he shook uncontrollably not from the pain but from seeing something of true traumatizing terror.

The Gnome tripped down on before his feet, no longer breathing.

"Put your backs into it!" He screamed at his men. "Hands on your swords!"

"Sir what just happened?' A human guard asked in a panic of what they just saw.

"I said hands on your sword no que-" He was cut off when the group felt a sudden frozen chill in the air that made everyone shiver in cold and their breaths visible in the air. Suddenly they soon started hearing metal clasped footsteps slowly making their way towards them.

The guards stood ready and drew their swords while still shivering from the intense cold air. Some of them were now beginning to lose their grip as the metal foot steps were growing closer and closer towards their direction. Yet they were unable to see anyone coming from anywhere. It was getting to the point that the metal steps were now echoing across the room that made it sound like the figure would come from any direction at any moment at any time. Also the closer the steps came the more colder the room was becoming.

The sounds of cackles and cracks was being heard as the unknown was closing in. Jorden stood firm on his ground as he locked his eyes on the shadows of the darkness around him. His narrowing brows proved his will as he stood there unmoving, waiting for whatever to come out.

Larkon and the rests were widening their eyes, the sword in his hand was beginning to lose it's grip as the cackling, the cracks and the metal sounds of steps was becoming louder. He turned his attention to Jorden who was just standing there bravely with his clenched hands on his sword.

"Sir!" He shouted at him, trying to have his attention, but he didn't moved a muscle. The wound of his shoulder was beginning to affect him as the blood keeps on dripping down. He dropped his sword and just puts his hand on the injured shoulder, waiting for an order.

In that moment, the sounds of the metal steps suddenly came to a silent stop. The tension from the silence began to really frighten the guards. The severe nervousness and fear of what's out there was evident from the heavy sweat under their armor. Quietly they wait for anything else to happen. The tension amongst the suspense seriously scaring them, only Jorden stayed calm. However, even the Captain was as nervous as the guards with him. Which was evident in his heavy sweat of nervousness. After what felt like a long wait of nothing but silence, one of the guards couldn't take it anymore. With a loud scream of panicking, the guard rushes out to fight the thing whatever it was.

"No don't!" Jorden yelled

The panicked guard ignored his leader's command and continued to rush outside from cover. Immediately something drops on the guard and kills him with a stomp to his throat. The other guards become shocked at what they see as the being responsible for the friend's recent demise reveals itself to be a dark hooded cloaked figure. The cloaked figure slowly stands up from where it's at and moves its cape a little, revealing itself to be a incredibly malevolent and monstrous looking Death Knight.

The Death knight was covered from head to toe. Wearing a thick black tunic with matching black trousers, black gloves, and bluish grey scarf around his neck. All of which he kept tucked under his sinister looking skeletal Dragon themed Death Knight plate armor that covered most of his body. Consisting of a chestguard, a griddle with a metal dragon skull buckle, metal claw-like gauntlets with small metal spikes adorned on the forearm guards, a metal dragon skull spaulder on his right shoulder, a pauldron on his left shoulder adorned with small metal spikes, greaves with metal dragon skull knee guards, and sabatons. He wore a metal helmet that had headpiece that travels towards the chin with sharp edges, and three metal spikes on each side of the very top of the helmet. All of which to accompany the sleek and menacing elaborate metal full-face faceplate mask that had no nose or mouth holes and the eyeholes slanted into a death glare. The armor pieces and mask were dark silver in color with the lines adorned with miscellaneous patterns of death runes. Over the armor, a small-adorned buckle with a death runic symbol connected the belts, which crossed over his chest. Finally he wore a long flowing tattered black hooded cloak tied around his neck.

On the right of his back, the Death Knight carried a custom two-handed runeblade. It was a silvery double-edged sword that had a metal guard with a small dragon skull-design on each side, each possessing deep azure colored eyes. The handle was wrapped in torn cloth along with a rigid armor-piercing pommel. However, above all else it's most noticeable feature was the series of exotic death runes that extended along the flat of the blade, each rune emanating with the same color as the eyes on the hilt.

The other guards draw their swords and prepare for battle. "Men to Arms!" Jorden ordered.

The Death Knight stared at them for a moment before leaping upwards to disappear from their view back into the shadows. Quickly the guards back away and frantically look around for anywhere the Death Knight may appear. Trying desperately to not let their guard down.

However, unknown to the them, the Death Knight suddenly appears upside down above them from the shadows. Watching each of the guards carefully and closely. Slowly the Death Knight draws his sword from its back. Carefully unhooking his legs from a pole from the ceiling that allowed him to hang above them. With a loud sound of a sword drawn, the guards look up to see the Death knight dropping down towards them sword ready. All but one of the guards were able to move out of the way of the secrete attack. The unfortunate human guard was immediately stabbed in the face by the Death Knight that landed on top of him. From there the Death Knight begins delivering fast slashes with his sword that the other guards could barely block with theirs. Allowing the Death Knight to make quick work and kill most of them with one swing of his sword.

When a few more of the guards try to gang up on the Death Knight, it went still for moment as one of the guards sloppily charged. Thinking nothing else but the safety of their numbers. A cold metal clawed hand suddenly caught the skull of the guard and ice began to form around the guard's hair. Agonizing screams echoed across the room, till silence came when the Death Knight crushed the skull, reduced to nothing but ice shards on the ground. The body landed on the floor as the men watched with unrenowned fear.

The Death Knight began twitching his head back n forth like a clockwork, cackling along with the cracks of his bones. It's idle twitching deceived the guards as an opportunity to strike as an another guard rushes in for the attack but the Death Knight was able to easily parry his attacks. With little effort, the Death Knight disarms the guard of his weapon before slashing the guard's stomach open to kill him.

Seeing that taking on this Death Knight one on one was futile, most of the remaining guards decide to try and attack all at once. Rushing over they tried to strike all at one. However the runes of the Death Knight began to glow blue as it striked first. It's powerful sword slash spending most of the guards flying across the room frozen in solid ice were their bodies shattered upon hitting the ground. The Death Knight simply stood there before looking to his right and repeated the same process on another set of guards. Then the Death Knight stopped as the runes soon glowed with a purple color and his blue glowing eyes shined even more towards the remaining guards.

The two waited for the other to make a move as the guard sweats nervously and breathes in deep, while the Death Knight stands emotionlessly. Before the guard could snap back into reality, the Death Knight leaps towards him and slashes his arm off. Before the guard could do anything, the Death Knight slices the Guard's torso. He then cuts the guard's throat and delivers a powerful kick, which sends the torso and head off the guard's body. As the head comes falling down, the last thing it sees are the Death Knight's intimidating blue glowing eyes through the mask before the Death Knight slices it vertically in half.

Not wanting to see any more, Captain Jorden himself take action as he took a shield on his hand and charged, covering his front with the large shield, causing the Death Knight to dodge away in safety. Larkon having seen enough himself charged towards the Death Knight sword ready, despite having an injured shoulder. He slashed the back side of the Death Knight as it dodged the blow from the Captain's charge.

The Knight of Death retaliates by eerily twitching his head slowly and suddenly, the young soldier heard a cackle under the hood, then the sound of cracking bones. A green fog suddenly was coming out from the pitch black shadow of its hood, surrounding the Death Knight. An unbearable smell of a rotting corpse and worse filled their nostrils, dropping their swords for a moment as their hands came in to guard their nose unwittingly.

With the opportunity, the Death Knight suddenly grab Larkon's throat and tossed him at the beside the exit door, almost knocking him unconscious against the blow. Smashing several ruins along the way that it broke his bones in multiple places all over.

Larkon tried to stand up but shocks of pain paralyzing his body, waning down as time passed. Nonetheless it turned its attention back at the captain, suddenly receiving a blow from the blunt of the shield, causing the unknown Death Knight to stumble its balance against the force of it blow. Letting out a cackle, the Death Knight turned around and slashed towards Jorden, effortlessly slashing the shield in half and sending Jorden flying across the room to smash through a statue. He landed as the ruble came crashing down on his legs. He screamed in agonizing pain as the rubble landed on and had broke his legs.

The Death Knight slowly proceeded towards Jorden who struggled to try and pick himself back up from the attack. Which had caused Jorden's left arm to dangle uselessly broken, his legs caught in heavy rubble that had crushed the bones to dust, and his head bleeding badly from the impact. Time seemed to have slowed down for both Larkon and Jorden as the Death Knight made his way over to Jorden. The young soldier desperately tried to move over to his captain but his injured shoulder and the broken bones of his arm prevented him from doing so. Jorden still ever ready, grabbed his sword with his good hand and got in a fighting stance. When the Death Knight approached, Jorden swung his sword weakly at his foe. The Death knight simply efftlessly dodged the weak strike and slapped the sword out of Jorden's good hand before stabbing his rune blade through Jorden's chest all the way through his heart. Blood poured from the his mouth and nose as the pain erupted through his mind body, he was virtually paralyzed as the blade sliced through his heart. With a last action, Jorden snaps the small necklace tag on his neck and throws it with all of his remaining might to the young soldier. Jorden turned his bloodied face towards the young and gravely injured soldier, moving his lips talking at him to tell him to 'run' in silent. The runes soon glowed red as the Death Knight soon began absorbing blood from Jorden's body and into his own. As he did this, the Death Knight slowly took his hood and helmet off, finally revealing his face.

He was a twisted dark and terrifying looking undead creature. His skin was grey and rotting, his muscles and bones were exposed, and his jaws had no lips, exposing the larger and more vicious-looking fanged teeth. He had unkempt shoulder-length black hair and sinister blue glowing death Knight human eyes.

Reaching over, the Death Knight soon took a powerful bite out of Jorden's throat and began eating Jorden alive while his runeblade sucked the very blood out of Jorden.

The necklace landed on the legs of the injured soldier as he watched with widened eyes as he saw the Death Knight feasting on his captain. He didn't scream, as his heart was beating to its very limit. Fear was clouding him, looking around seeing none who is alive to help him, he was all alone, and he realized that. Adrenaline filled his body as he suddenly stood up, picking up the necklace tag of the captain. Abandoning the honors of bravery, the oaths of a warrior, the will of a man.

He bolts away and ran for his life, his eyes were widened in fear, in shock, in trauma as the beat of his heart was at its limit. He didn't know how much time had passed, but it for him it felt like an eternity. The pain from his injuries soon began to take a small toll on him and he found his eyes slowly closing in unconsciousness. He found himself surrounded by trees, looking at the dark sky with indifference as he closed his eyes.


	12. A Revelation

For some time, the Death Knight continued to feast heavily on the bodies of the Stormwind Guards he had slain. Leaving mostly half eaten remains covered in their own blood and gore. Despite this, the Death knight was not covered in blood and gore as the red glowing runes of his armor would absorb any amount of blood he splattered in his meal into his body.

"As always, must you always make a mess Lord Lazarus?" The Death Knight heard the Blood Elf Warlock with the painted magical runes around his left eye enter. With the warlock was a small chest in his arms while the Demon Hunter Daken followed him.

The Death Knight now identified as Lazarus simply growled at him and continued to feast on the remains of one guard as if starving to death.

The Warlock sighed and walked over to the Death Knight, offering him a large cup of wine. Lazarus soon turned and yanked the cup of wine from the Warlock and gulped down the entire cup within moments. Washing down the large amounts of blood and gore in his mouth down to his throat into stomach.

"Quite the appetite you have don't you think?" The Warlock asked.

With a large gulp to finish swallowing his meal, the Death Knight sighed in relief and drunk a few more large sips of wine. "Did you find it Kreus?" He asked.

The Blood Elf Kreus nodded and showed Lazarus the chest. "Just as the notes said it would be."

"Then we have a long journey ahead of us." Lazarus answered as he grabbed his sword, stood back up on his feet and sheathed his sword back on the right shoulder of his back.

Kreus merely sighed. "Long journey is putting it in one nice way. Finding someone compatible for the ritual will be an even bigger and longer pain in the ass than the quest itself." He commented.

"It matters not how long it will take. We have a start and before long we will have all that is necessary."

"So I know."

"Did you run into any trouble?"

"Just a few dumb brute Orcs from from the Tanaan Jungle. Nothing too serious to be dealt with, none of them will live to tell the tale of our actions tonight."

"I only encountered these Stormwind Guards heading to your direction. So I dealt with them to make sure you were not interrupted." Lazarus coldly stated as he puts his metal mask back on followed by his hood.

"I do appreciate that my Lord but now brings to the question of what will happen if both the Alliance and the Horde catch wind of our activities." Kreus asked.

"They won't, we will see to that." With that said, lazarus began making his way out of the cave, followed by Kreus and Daken

* * *

Alura had just finished her next she lost count how many letter to her father. Placing a melted wax seal to close it, she stood back up and quickly changed into her normal outfit to go mail it. On her way outside she found Kinar waiting her, already in her normal outfit and human form.

"Hey Kinar, what's wrong?" Alura asked.

"You told me last night that you've been sending your father a bunch of letters yet he hasn't responded to any of them?" Kinar asked.

Alura looked at her with a raised brow. "Yes, I have been sending him letters from time to time." She answered.

Kinar noded. "Call it a hunch of mine but I feel there's something very fishy about that."

She shrugged. "We never know Kinar, if it's something fishy or not. We don't even know if my father would help, or even if he does do we even know that it would work?" She questioned.

"Well I still feel like we should look into it and see why he hasn't been responding." Kinar began walking off with Alura following her. "Here's my idea, you go and send that letter to whoever is suppose to deliver that letter to the mailing place. And I will keep watch and see if everything goes smoothly."

Alura analyzed for a moment, looking at the window. "Hey Kinar, do the military accept volunteers from the church?" She asked.

"Not sure, but if you like I can ask someone while I'm off spying."

"Well, father is stationed at the base camp on at the Dark Portal, perhaps we can go there and ask any information to whether or not he got the letters, then ask about the squadron of Captain Jorden." She suggested.

"Yeah but that would take longer and my hunch tells me something is up for some reason. Let me just keep an eye on your letter while it's being delivered to be mailed. If nothing happens then we can see if the military is accepting any volunteers. I just want to make absolutely sure okay. And don't worry, I got ways to hide my appearance." Kinar stated before suddenly using her druidic magic to shapeshift into a swift flight form. "See?"

Alura nodded and smiled. "Alright Kinar, I'll wait."

"Go ahead and send the letter and I'll be sure to keep track of its progress and report back to you of any news."

Alura shook her head. "I'm tired of sending letters to him. If he doesn't read it then fine, I will probably handle it myself." She said to her.

"Still we want to make sure if he's even getting the letters. If you want I can send the letter and then watch its progress."

Alura nodded once more. "Alright, I'll see to it then." She said to her.

Kinar flew on Alura's shoulder and sat comfortably. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

Alura picked up her note and made her way outside the Church. She found a gnome messenger collecting letters for from the Church to go deliver to wherever. Alura handed the gnome her letter and left to go attend her business. She winked towards Kinar to start, in which Kinar spreads her wings and takes flight to keep a sharp eye on her letter.

"Good luck Kinar." Alura said to her softly as she flights out. Then she turned around and went on to the halls of the church, looking around briefly while listening to the priests who was preaching once more. The church didn't have its audience for today probably because of the current affairs that were being tackled. She shook her head and just went on. It was there she found a beautiful Night Elf woman with silver white hair sitting at one of the benches along with a baby that couldn't be more than a month old heavily wrapped in her arms. Sitting with her were two beautiful night elf twin girls that appeared to have some traces of human to them.

She raised her brows at the sight, finding it odd to see their kind on the church, to which the differences of their beliefs have been quite clear. Alura just smiled and sat at the same bench with the woman. Though the mother remained fixated on the baby, while the two twins were kneeling in prayer.

"I've find it odd that the Elves of the Night visited the Church of the Light." Alura commented through her rhyme, making the Night Elf woman turn at her.

"Hu? Oh sorry if we're bothering you, we just moved here about a month ago and we just found the time to settle in and make time for the Church of the Light." The Night Elf mother answered.

Alura smiled as she looked on the children. "They're beautiful." She said, looking at them closely before turning to her and adding. "Though I can't help but notice they have traces of human traits on them. Could they be Half-Elven?" She asked.

"They are yes, their father is a human, training the soldiers here in the barracks. I met him five years ago and well, I guess you could say it was Destiny or Fate in a way that brought us together." She smiled and rocked the baby in her arms gently.

The priestess smiled and looked on at the priest. "How special that different races come together don't you think? You have probably faced hardships with him before settling down for good, with all the racial discrimination around us."

"Oh yes, it was, quite difficult, especially with my father who hated the idea to his bones. But in time, when my twins were born, he soon grew to love them like any grandfather would love their grandchild. And now he thanks my husband for every moment for being a part of my life and bringing our children into this wonderful world." She answered.

"How beautiful to hear that. But I want to ask you something, if I may." Alura said to her, turning her attention.

"Of course." She said as she turned her attention to the Priestess with a beautiful smile that reminded Alura allot of her mother's smile.

"Can you hold on to him forever?" Alura asked reluctantly. "I assume that, it took time to accept that he would die young like their human lives." She stated.

"Oh….I know what you mean by that." She said to her. Looking at the baby before turning to her, smiling. "And yes I can hold on to him forever. I have my promise to myself that he would be the only one I would have, and he fulfilled also his promise by returning when I needed him the most. And if that's the case, well my long life as a widow in the future can be coped." She answered.

Alura was stunned and surprised to hear such words. They were words of wisdom she didn't expect anyone but either the high priest or priestess or her mother to say. Her thoughts were interrupted when one of the cute half elf twins gently tugged on her robe a little to try and get her attention for something.

"You have some motherly aura, even my children have your attention." The Elven woman commented to her, chuckling. "I don't find it surprising you will have beautiful children in the future also."

"Huh? Oh I just have a liking for children I also help take care of the orphanages around Stormwind when I can. But I don't plan on having any children I am still a Priestess of the Light and I still have my vows to hold onto." Alura answered as she patted the cute half elf girl on the head softly.

The mother chuckled. "Oh, I doubt that, I was a priestess five years ago, then I met him. Didn't take long for me to give it to him." She told her.

"What?" Alura asked in surprise.

"Like I said, I was a priestess and I gave myself to him eventually." She told her once more. "Love can know no bounds, not even the vows of chastity."

"You did? I mean uh how?" Alura asked still shocked and surprised.

"We made love, what else? I didn't have to lie to myself to convince me that I loved him." She answered.

"I didn't mean that I meant. How did you make such a critical decision in your life that would go against everything you've lived with in your original life for so very long?" Alura asked next.

The Night elf looked at her. "Well, I looked at him, and saw myself unable to cope on thinking of him not in my life. Looking myself back then when I was nothing more than a little girl of thinking I would be a huntress, an adventurer that would travel the world alone, but then it change and thought I am a priestess and will still be a priestess for my life span. All of it changed as time pass by, and it was him who unwittingly convinced me." She answered.

Alura remained silent as she quietly watched the two twin half elf girls play a small little chasing game close by. The baby in the night elf mother's arms moaned a little in discomfort, in which his mother softly brought one of her fingers to him and let him play with her finger.

"Do you ever sometimes feel regrets with the decision to leave your life as a priestess?" Alura asked nervously.

The Elven woman chuckled. "Oh no, not one bit did I feel any regret. What regrets would form when I have him, and my children?" She answered. "And how about you priestess, do you ever had a thought on settling down? I can see it in your eyes." She asked.

Alura looked at her and answer. "My obligation is to be a priestess, I have vowed to be." She answered.

"Oh…" The mother sighed with a little bit of sadness as her eyes shifted to her baby. "I mean, it doesn't change anything between beliefs and happiness. You don't have to force yourself in any of this. Because it does look like you do force yourself." She said.

"I do?" Alura asked a little confused.

"Can you not see it for yourself? If I can, then you probably can." She told her.

Alura was silent for a moment as she wasn't sure what to say or think or do next. "I...I don't know…"

"I could see also that someone had captured your heart. You just don't know it yet, but eventually you will." She told her as she turned her attention at the priestess once more.

"Wait no I mean no one hasn't caught my heart yet I'm still just a priestess and well yeah. But still, even if my heart has yet been captured, there is one person I am worried for." Alura answered.

"Oh? Who would it be? With the wars going in at this moment, worrying for someone is heart breaking, I have experienced it myself." She told her.

"A very good friend." Alura answered.

"Was he also part of this war?" She asked.

"Yes, he was drafted into last month, I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye." Alura sighed sadly.

The woman bit her lip and softly shook her head. "That is very bad. I see how it will affect you if it does turn for the worse and I pray it will not. You do not want to experience what I felt when I was told my husband wasn't coming home." She told her.

"But he did come home right?" Alura asked in a small panic.

"Yes he did. But when I was just three months into pregnancy with the twins, something happened to the village and he went there to stop it. And when I got the information, I fell into depression." She answered.

"What happened?" Alura asked.

"Well I can't recall the exact details, but it is similar to yours. I was dangerously in the shadows of depression at that point. And I endanger my children because of it." She said.

"How did it all turn well for you, how did you get through all of that?" Alura asked in worry.

"I didn't, I was just lying on the bed, brooding, I ate little to none. Even in one occasion I tried to get out from the house to find him myself in my effort. Very foolish of me." She told her.

"My goodness…"

The mother then curl her lips into a smile. "But nonetheless a week has gone by and things change for the good instantly when they found him just a few miles from the village."

Alura remained silent to let her continue.

"It's was so miraculous that he returned. He said to me that he ate grass, covering his wounds with other grass while drinking water from grass when was so gravely injured for those weeks. How determined was he to come back to me with nothing but grass to help him." She softly stated as she looked at her daughters who were running towards her to sit by her side.

"I don't think he could have done it if his mind was not on you." Alura commented.

"Might as well not imagine what he did or what he did not." She told her. "He returned to me, and to me that was a testament."

Alura stay silent as she looked on to the preacher, the preacher puts himself in prayer as the service almost comes to an end. Alura herself kneeled also, praying for protection to her friends, their families and everyone else. After that she sat back down at the bench, looking at the elven mother.

"Daddy!" One of the twins happily shouted as the two run off towards him.

The two adults turned at the entrance door. While the elven woman smiled, the draenei priestess widened her eyes in comment.

"Oh my goodness he is tall." Alura said as she looked at him, she could just see that the man was at least seven feet tall, even taller than her father could be.

"Surprised?" She chuckled at her before calling him. "Oh hi darling, we are ready to go back to the restaurant. The Priest has just finished and we are just about to head out."

"Well, there's nothing for me back at the arena, so I would just be going here to check on you four. But it seems you have nothing else to do, so should we get back to the restaurant?" He asked.

The elven woman turned to Alura as she stood up. "I guess it would be our time to leave also. I had fun talking with you and knowing the beliefs of your church. Thank you." She said and turned. "And oh, If you are planning, I am at the restaurant just a couple blocks away from here, it is called 'The Druidic Sanctuary.' I can help and give you some advice if you need one." She told her as she looked back.

"Thank you." Alura smiled and gave her a small bow. She watched the woman leave while her husband wrapped an arm around her waist and walked off with her. The twins waved by to Alura before joining their parents.

* * *

Kinar kept flight in her swift flight form while following the Gnome messenger to the barracks of the Stormwind guard. She made sure to stay out of sight and hide behind covered area when the need approach. Thankfully the form she took was the size of a pigeon, allowing her a better amount of faster agility and options to hide and keep watch from a distance. Luckily the Gnome messenger didn't seem to ever notice her since he appeared to be extremely busy with all the letters he was required to deliver. That and Kinar stayed in the air high enough to avoid suspension and enough to keep track and watch the messenger's every move.

Eventually, the gnome arrived at the main barracks section of the city where most of the guards and soldiers went to sign up for the current war.

"Gnome mail." The gnome said to the guard at the registration table.

"Take em' out back for inspection." The guard nodded as he offered a quill and ink for the many people in line wanting to sign up.

The messenger grabbed the bag of letters and proceeded inside. Taking her chance, Kinar spreads her wings and flew inside the building through the window. To her shock, she immediately lost the gnome messenger. She looked around carefully in her position in the air before flying forward around the long hallways to try and locate the messenger. She must've traveled for she wasn't sure how long until finding the gnome messenger out in the courtyard leaving the bag of letters to a few guards. The guards dismissed the gnome and started checking through the letters.

It was around the moment where they got to Alura's letter that one guard nodded to the others and showed them her letter.

"It's another one from Priestess Alura." The guard said.

"I'll go alert the Lieutenant." The other guard said as he walked off to do so.

Kinar raised a brow while still maintaining flight in the air. Feeling her wings getting tired she flew down to the top of a fountain close by and kept watch from there. The guard from earlier soon returned with the Lieutenant who Kinar was able to easily identify.

He was a tall man, quite tall and had a broad shoulders, clad in normal foot soldier armor. He was walking towards the man holding Alura's letter. "What would be her letter this time?" He asked.

"It's another one for her father Paladin Joven sir. Requesting the same message as the last others she has sent." The guard answered.

The Lieutenant took the letter, read it, and then crumbled it up into pieces before giving it to a nearby mage to set it on fire. Kinar gasped in shock from her position as she watched the torn letter burn to mere ashes.

"By order of General Moira we are not going to let that pass on. Paladin Joven has enough on his hands with the Dark Portal to be worrying about some expendable squadron. The General wants them to stay put to keep a hold in that area. And besides, why does this girl concern so much on Jorden's men? We already have reports that Jorden went missing in action." he asked.

"I don't know sir I'm just trying to follow orders so the General doesn't punish me like he has the reputation of doing so. My father used to always tell me when I was young boy, never snoop your nose into others' business, especially important figures during a time of crises." The guard answered.

"Well get going." The Lieutenant ordered as he turned his back on them and walks away.

The guards saluted and returned to inspecting letters. Loading the ones that needed to be sent while burning ones that could endanger the war effort or cause. Kinar saw enough of what she needed to confirm her hunch. Taking flight she quickly flew out of the courtyard and back to the Church as fast as her form could possibly take her.

Alura tapped the table with her fingers, her chin was resting on her palm as she looked on to the window outside. Smiling as she felt the breeze hit her soft skin. She looked on at the horizon, seeing a peaceful land, knowing that there are warriors out there to protect them with their lives on the line for them to do so. It seems she doesn't like the idea of it as she curled her lips into a frown, thinking what ever danger lies ahead in the future, or whether or not there will be a future for anyone at all.

She looked at a pigeon at the side of the window, sipping coffee as she looked at it with interest, flying hysterically towards her direction. She didn't realize that the pigeon was desperate enough to smash through the window until it got close and Alura had to quickly open the window to keep it from hurting itself. The pigeon fly right in and ended up accidently crashing on Alura's desk. Upon landing, the pigeon shapeshifted back into Kinar's human form as she rolled off the desk and landed on the ground on her back. He body was covered in sweat as she struggled to regain her breathing from over working herself to hard.

Alura quickly kneeled down and helped her up to stand. "Kinar, thank heavens you are okay. What happened?"

"They're burning the letters!" She said in a frantic almost fast paced speech.

"What?!" Alura responded in disbelief. "What do you mean they are burning the letters?"

"By order of General Moira, any letters that could endanger the war effort or cause are to be burned to not cause distraction or problems within the army. He's purposely having any letter you write to your father torn up and burned on the spot. Saying some excuse that your father is too busy to be worrying about Jordan's squad which went missing in action!" Kinar responded as best she could while trying to catch her breath.

Alura gasped as she heard the news, she took a step back and responded. "Missing in action…...Captain Jorden's squadron?" She repeated.

Kinar noded "That's right, and since the General considers them expendable and with all the problems going on with the war. He's making sure your father never sees any of your letters as he claims it would distract him from his more important duties with the Dark Portal. Also he claimed that they were stationed at somewhere where he wanted them to keep a hold of so even then he didn't want them coming home after their time of service expired." Kinar said as she had to sit down on a chair.

"Kinar…..Larkon is with Captain Jorden…...if he is missing, so is he….." She gasped as she tried to find her words.

"I don't know how long they've been considered missing in action they didn't say much except the squad went missing and that's all I heard." Kinar answered.

Alura shook her head, bringing her hands on to her forehead as if a huge migraine was shocking her in pain. "Kinar….If." She didn't finished her words as her breaths became heavier, her palms rest on her lungs as she tried to calm her heavy breaths.

"Alura calm down we'll think of something." Kinar tried reasoning to help Alura.

"I want to help him Kinar….all of our friends who are out there. Jorden, Larkon…." She told her.

"I want to do so just as much as you do but how? They're not going to let us join because of who our families are and how they think we would distract them from the current issues they're facing. I don't know what to do?" Kinar answered.

Alura looked up to her. "What if we became volunteers? We could go around the camps, see if we could find any information of Jorden's squadron If nothing could convince that father would help." She suggested.

"But Alura they're not going to let us go anywhere near the army or something. We're out of options." Kinar commented.

"Well if that's the case then we'll have to help them ourselves, with or without their permission." Alura stated seriously.

"Wait, what?" Kinar asked.

"I'm saying if the army won't help us then we take matters in our own hands and go out to help them on our own." Alura answered.

"What I, Alura are you listening to yourself we don't know where to go or anything. And besides you're a priestess and I'm a druid and we don't have as much combat experience as the soldiers do or travelers. Who would come with us?" Kinar asked.

Alura thought for a long moment before answering. "We could try and get Thark to come with us."

Kinar's eyes shot open. "Thark? Are you kidding me? He's as likely to blow a fuse from the idea of us going off then join us." Kinar suggested.

"Kinar please…..help me out on this, the guilt will haunt me till the day I die for knowing that I could have helped where I did not….." Alura said as she stood up to her, holding her hand. "Please do this…..for me...and for our friends out there." She begged.

Kinar looked at her sadly but sighed. "You know I would help you down any path you take. So I will come with you, but what about Thark?" Kinar asked.

"He is the most knowledgeable on this kind of situation. If he doesn't go, then we can't do anything about it." Alura told her as she took an empty scroll from the book shelf and began writing down a letter.

"What are you writing?"

"A volunteer letter for us to be put in and roam on the camps. They probably need us also, we can help injured people along the way while we tried to find them." She answered.

"But they're not going to let us go anywhere near the war because of our statuses remember?" Kinar reminded.

"That's only General Moira's orders, but he doesn't command the entire army of the Alliance." Alura stated as she quickly finished writing the letter and puts in a traveling bag. She then grabs her turquoise sash on to hold her staff on the right of her back. She attaches the traveling bag to the sash wrapped around her waist and turns to Kinar.

"Well, I'm ready." Alura commented.

"You're actually serious about this?" Kinar asked.

"I am serious." She told her.

"Alright, then let's go pay a visit to Thark and brace ourselves for one heck of an explosion from the roof of his skull." Kina joked as she got up and walked out the room with Alura.

Thark sat alone quietly in the bar of his inn. Due to the events regarding the war, most of everyone was either signing up to do what they can while the soldiers that usually come were either drafted off somewhere. He sighed to himself as he just sat there in silence close to a fire he made.

"Should've enjoyed the business while it was getting good." He joked.

He soon hear a opening at his door and turned to see who it was. To his surprise it was someone or thing he didn't really expect to come to a bar or even the city.

The figure that entered was a short-furred black Pandaren with a white underbelly and black markings around his gold eyes. He had medium length grey hair tied back in a topknot and a matching short beard. He possessed a stocky yet extremely muscular build that appears to have come from a lifetime of intense training and discipline. He wore an old loose tattered dark-colored martial arts gi with the sleeves torn off. Next he wore a red scarf and prayer beads around his neck, a length of rope tied around his waist holding an alcohol jug on his left side, and bandages around his forearms and ankles up to his fingers and feet. Finally he wore a simple straw coolie hat with a cloth chinstrap, wooden vambraces and greaves held on by wrapped rope, straw sandals, and his hands wrapped in rope as well. The only weapon he seemed to carry was a one handed sword that resembles a wakizashi with a green hilt reminiscent of a dao and a blue tassel attached at the end of the pommel. He kept it sheathed horizontally behind his lower back hanging by the rope around his waist.

The Pandaren currently had his coolie hat on which concealed half of his face as he stepped inside Thark's bar and looked around before taking a seat at a table.

"Aye strange to seein yer kind around our parts. What ye get yourself fer?" Thark commented as he asked.

The Pandaren smiled a little as he took his hat off and let it hang behind his back. "I'll have one of everything on your menu. Including all your drinks."

The mug that Thark was wiping almost broke when his hand suddenly jerked in surprise. "Aye'll that be takin awhile." He told him. "And alot of yer gold."

The Pandaren smiled a little more and sat a bag of gold on the table that looked to have weighed fifty or more pounds. "And take your time, I can wait for I have all the time in the world." He answered.

"Aye, I'll be right back." Thark said as he turned his back and went on to the kitchen.

The Pandaren was looking around, chewing a small stick on his mouth looking at the horrid design of the restaurant. "Awe, quite depressing. Depreeeesing!" He commented on as he looked at the crumbled paint of the ceiling which are housed with the web of spiders.

Just as he closed his eyes to rest and wait for his order, a beautiful Draenei priestess along with Worgen druid priestess came rushing into the restaurant. He simply shrugged and payed no attention to them as they entered.

"Hey Thark, you in here?" Kinar asked.

"Ah, got a deal with the Dwarf I see? I see that you are worried for some friend out there in the war." The pandaren commented suddenly.

Kinar and Alura finally notice the Pandaren sitting calmly at the table. A little surprised to see one here in Stormwind.

"Oh um how do you know?" Alura asked.

The Pandaren turned around. "If I see a girl running with their heart. Then their friend is in danger, I see? I see?" He constantly repeats his sentence.

Alura and Kinar looked at each other briefly before looking back at the Pandaren who smirked a little and chewed on the piece of stick in his mouth a little.

"We're sorry to bother you sir but have you seen the Dwarf who owns this Inn we need to talk to him about something very important. It involves a friend as you mentioned." Alura asked.

"I see, then I get to your business for awhile yes? As the man do his business. Like they say, business is business." He told them both.

Alura and Kinar just raised their eyebrows in slight confusion.

"What?" Kinar asked.

The Pandaren smiled. "Don't know metaphors? Ohhhhhhhh that would would be sad. But I say I just want to know why you want to help that friend of yours." He said.

"It's well…" Kinar started before Thark came in with a few drinks that the Pandaren ordered. Finally noticing Alura and Kinar in the room.

"Aye, what are you doing here you two lass?" Thark asked as he puts the drinks down on the table of the pandaren. "Aye, here yer drinks, I'll be gettin yer food shortly." He told them before looking back at the Druid and Priestess.

"Thark, we need to talk, it's critically important." Alura began.

"And you're not going to like it one bit." Kinar mentioned.

"I'll be back, wait fer me lass." He told them as he went on to the kitchen, leaving the two once more along with the pandaren.

"Ah, like a father for you two." The pandaren stated.

"You could say that." They both said in unison.

The Pandaren began chugging down on the ale like there was no tomorrow. He sighed in satisfaction, wiping the dripping ale from his furry lips. "So, tell me. Who is this, friend of yours?" He asked.

"Just a friend of ours who got drafted a month ago to the war." Alura answered.

The Pandaren just suddenly went skeptical on Alura's comment as he looked at her with squinted eyes as his chin rest on his palm. "I see that you consider him as more than a friend." He said to her, giving a little surprise to both of them.

"He's a close friend who was wrongly drafted into the war and now he's been labeled missing in action along with his whole squadron." Alura answered quickly.

"One cannot be missing until he is looked at and draws conclusion." He said to her.

"Hu?" They both asked.

"I'm assuming you two are going to look for your friend." He told them somewhat lazily. Looking back at the kitchen door in wait.

"That's classified." Kinar answered.

"Aye got yer food right here." Thark loudly said as he kicked the kitchen door open and went on to the pandaren. "One of everything." He told the big panda as he puts the plate on the table, his nose was flaring as his sweat covered his skin due to the heat of steam of the kitchen. "So, what you two lass are up fer? Or do you want something from me?" Thark asked.

"Thark, we need to talk, privately, it's something very critically important and you're not going to like it one bit." Kinar mentioned.

Thark scratched his head. "Aye, I'm hoping it won't gave me a heart attack lass." Thark stated jokingly.

The Pandaren began eating his meal while the three sat at a table a little to the far end of the room. Smiling as he looked at them, knowing how the conversation would go down.

"Thark, what we're going to ask you is something we would never ask you unless it was of the most highest importance and that we didn't have any other choices in our desperation." Alura began.

Thark crossed his arms to them, looking at them with narrowed brows, ready to take their answer. "Alright, what would it be fer?" He asked them.

Kinar and Alura hesitated for a moment before Alura started. "Thark, I've been trying to get a message to my father to see what he could to do for Captain Jorden's squad. But for the past month I haven't gotten anything back from him." Alura started.

"That was untill we just found out why." Kinar mentioned.

"General Moira is having any letters that he thinks that could serve as a distraction or damage to the war effort burned. Personally having my letters burned on the spot." Alura stated next.

"Aye why didn't ye tell me about this earlier? Fer all we know my team back then Moira forge letters, blocks, or steal. I could have helped fer this." Thark said.

"We just found out earlier today. We didn't know anything until earlier today a few hours ago." Kinar answered.

"And the worst of it is they mentioned that Jorden and his squad have been reported missing in action." Alura mentioned next.

He puts his hand infront of them as he said. "Look, lass, war has torn people and that-" He cuts himself off when he got a point from what they have said. "Aye, don't tell me."

"I can't just leave them out there knowing I could've done something to help. I would never be able live with myself. And since the army is refusing to let us help, we're taking things into our hands and we're leaving to go look for Larkon and his squad." Alura mentioned. "And we need your help."

Thark sighed and just turned his back on to them as he explained. "Look lass, you don't know what yer talkin about right fer yer sake, let the man be, let him fight and then get home if he really gut the guts to go home fer you two." He said. "I can't help either, me old bones got rusty. Just take yerself away from those plans ahead fer him lass, he is not worth fer both of yer life." He continued on, making the priestess slightly feeling offended for him talking down on him.

"Thark that Moira guy is not going to let him come home, he considers him and all of Jorden's squad expandable and wants the squad to stay in their post for the entire thing simply because he feels that he needs to hold ground there." Kinar tried reasoning.

Thark looked at them and grunted. "Lass look, this aint yer war, ye can't a puss fer what happen, all ye can hope just really hope for him to return. I know Moira, and that his reasons has something more than tactics, I know long enough that's fer sure." Thark said as he turned his back on them before contuing. "Look lass, just go home, there is nothing fer you to help him. That's the reality of them higher ups on men on the bottom drains." He said softly, telling a horrible truth.

Alura gripped her robe tightly as she responded. "Is that why that young rookie was killed and no one did a thing to help him?" She asked suddenly.

Thark suddenly turned, narrowing his eyes. "Now, lass, it ain't like that back in my days." He said to her, his voice was slightly angered.

"No but in your final days before you retired that's when it became now. Someone was wrongfully punished and killed for a small mistake and no one did anything to help him despite the fact they had all the chances and power to do so?" Alura blurted out.

"That young lad was killed because we had nothing to help him Alura!" He raised his voice as he spoke her name. Kinar and Alura was surprised that he voice her name, an unfamiliar sensation.

"But you could've done something instead of standing there and watch him die. I know there was something you could've done." Alura stated next.

"I didn't watch him die lass, me eyes haven't been the same when that lad come beggin me skin to help him. Don't tell me lass that I wasn't doing anything fer friends." He said to her, his tone was softening but there it still trailed.

"But if there was something you could've done would you have taken it?" Kinar asked next.

He shook his head, failing to respond to their question. "Just get past it lass." He half-heartedly suggested as he turned his back once more.

"Thark if there was something you could've done would you have taken it?" Kinar asked again this time more seriously.

He slightly turned his head to his side. "If there was, you will know." He answered.

"Then we know there's something we can do for Larkon and his squad. We're going to take that chance to help them, with or without your help. We just thought it would be easier if you came along." Alura told Thark seriously.

That got raising the brow of the dwarf. Turning his back as he asked in disbelief. "What? Yer going? Lass this isn't some pebbles on my boots if that what yer thinkin, this is war we talking about." He told her.

"I don't care I won't leave them out there knowing I still have that chance to do something. I'm taking that chance to help them and I don't care what's out there." Alura answered seriously.

This time the Thark approached her. "Lass, this ain't you I'm hearin! And I'm not gonna take chance on ye getting out there! Lass, stay in the city, let the lad handle himself!" He told her.

"I can't, I just can't do that Thark. He's was sent out there to fight for his life for unfair reasons just like the young rookie was punished for. And I have to help him, otherwise he'll die just like the rookie did and I would never be able to live with myself ever again because I know there's something I can do for him. I'm willing to take full responsibility for my actions to to take that chance to help him and his friends." Alura said slightly sad.

Thark just softly grabbed her arm, and gestures for Kinar over the table as he walks Alura into a corner. "Look lass, I'm going to ask ye fer this." He told her. "What did that lad have fer you to stoop on the corners and help him?" He asked her, narrowing his brows as he looked at her seriously. "And don't give me that 'he is just a friend' alibi I heard me entire life."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked him softly. Averting his gaze as she tried to scoot out if his way, but Thark managed to hold out a hand to block her way out.

"Don't ye gettin out here without excuses lass, I'm askin ye, what did the lad have fer you to risk in?" He asked once more.

"I have nothing! Why do you even have to ask me that?!" Alura just suddenly snapped as she bolts away from him.

"Because Lass if ye want me to help ye find this young Lad then I need to know what ye have fer to risk in?" Thark answered.

She turned and looked at him, closing her arms close to her chest. She looked so shy and embarrassed, that even a blind man can see. "He's my friend…..and." She took a deep breath. "I….love him as a friend and I don't want to lose him, like I don't want to lose Kinar, and you." She answered, blushing, trying to hide the shame and embarrassment of her eyes.

Thark stared at her quietly for a moment. "So the lad has grown to be that important to ye to see as family?" He asked.

Alura just softly nodded as an answer.

"And if I know ye well enough, you are willing to do everything ye can for yer family." He asked next.

She just nodded again. "I want to do everything to keep it safe….." She told him softly.

He sighed and began walking over to one of the gun mounts on the wall. He picked up a Wolfslayer Sniper Rifle that hung on top of the fireplace.

"Then what kind of man would I be leaving a family member out there without doing something to help?" He asked. "I took my hat fer that lad if he got me doin this business."

"You're going to help?" Alura asked.

"Aye lass I'm coming with ye and I even got me a plan to get you to where you need to go faster. But the thing is lass, us three ourselves won't be enough. We gonna need some more help for this." Thark mentioned.

"More help you say?" The Pandaren suddenly asked as he finished eating the last part of his meal and gulping down the last alcoholic drink. "Love your neighbours as yourself. So how about help your neighbors as you help yourself." He quoted.

"I'm sorry what?" Kinar asked still confused by all the quotes he was saying.

"I want to help. If the flower wilted, pour water on them, and that's why I want to pour my help onto you." He said.

Kinar raised an eyebrow and looked back towards Alura and Thark.

"Aye I think I understand, what be ye name stranger?" Thark asked.

The Pandaren chuckled with a smirk as he stood up and placed his straw coolie back on his head.

"I am Quon Windmaster of Pandaria."


	13. An Orc to Help

**Guest: Yes I will be updating The stories, but I would just be making sure that I'll finish this first. The stories will be updated somewhere this year, I don't know when but it is certain it is this year. Thanks for the Support! And also, yes! I will be putting some of my characters into this stories as a cameo! It has been done with Galvane and Nilsha so Why not also for Celvic and Ellia noh? Thanks for the Support!**

 **Master Da: Thanks for the reviews and compliments man! It helps me getting motivated to write these! The story has been 75% finished in terms of writing but the update just barely got past 40% So there is still more to come!**

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The moving motion of the ground made Larkon open his eyes. He squinted them to try to adjust through the morning light, looking around his surroundings. His head was resting to something he felt like rusted metal, groaning as he tried to make sense of the situation. He looks at where he was resting on to see that it was made out of wood, moving along like a wheeled cart. Like as infact it was verified when he looks behind, seeing the metal bars, moving alongside the road. He narrowed his brows, in confusion, before groaning in pain.

He looked at his injured shoulder, the gash that was at least six inches across. Yet it got him hysterical when he saw maggots eating away at his skin. He tried to swat them away, but a large green hand stopped him.

"Don't, they will clean it." A deep voice said. He turned and suddenly went in the corner in surprise and in defense as he saw a large orc beside him. "Not an enemy. You are here, and so am I." The Orc said.

The Orc was a remarkably large, massive, and brutish looking forest green Orc who absolutely towers over most others around him. Possessing an exceptionally sculpted and well-defined musculature powerful body complete with broad shoulders, all of which appearing to have been honed from years of enthusiastic physical training and warfare. He had coarse and bristly short slightly spiky black hair tied in a short ponytail with the sides of his head shaved. Along with his hair he had matching chin stubble while his right pointed ear was pierced with a few metal rings. Scars slash over his chest, right shoulder, and over his left eye. His most noticeable feature was his pure blue eyes.

He wore a torn sleeveless fur-lined red tabard that was knee length and had the Horde's emblem. Next he wore a necklace with a few fang-like teeth around his neck, blue trousers, black leather fingerless gloves, and black leather boots. Around his waist he wore a tattered blue and white tartan with the Frostwolf clan embalm, a green sash fastened by a brown belt with a purse and canteen strapped to his back.

Larkon shook his head trying to analyze. "Where am I?" He asked.

"Slavers took you in, they found you at the Tanaan jungle." He said before continuing his explanation. "Organized slavers, professionals. Blood Elves, Orcs, Humans, and Goblins. Working together in slave trade, benefiting from the current war. Passing by from different areas to take opportunity of capturing slaves. Using magic to teleport wherever they want, whenever they want." He told.

Larkon looked at the Orc for a moment and noticed the Horde symbol on his tabard.

"Your with the Horde?" Larkon asked.

"Everyone is in the war, other than them." He corrected as he gestured at the slavers who was at the back of their mounts, comprising of five races, a Blood Elf, a Human, an Orc, Goblin, and a Troll.

"So how did you end up in here?" Larkon asked as he laid his head back down and tried not to look at the maggots on his skin.

The Orc sighed and laid back at the cage they were in. "That's a long story to tell human. One I'm not sure you won't be able to hear the rest by the time we arrive at wherever they're taking us." The Orc answered.

"So what are with these?" Larkon gestured at the injured shoulder filled with maggots.

"Clean your skin, they eat out dead skin that can infect you and kill you. Let them be." The Orc answered. "Dead bodies on the nearby cave you were found. Though, none of them were recognizable anymore." He added.

"What do you mean?" Larkon asked.

"As in, something...ate them, and didn't leave much to help identify what they were in life." The Orc added.

Larkon tried to remember, yet the fog of his mind clouded his memory. "I can't remember. The last time I was-" A sudden picture of Jorden fighting an unknown hooded Death Knight suddenly came. Followed by the brief yet terrifying image of the Death Knight's undead face that looked of pure horror.

"I don't think remembering what happen is going to matter at this point." The Orc sighed as he just stared at the distance at nothing particular. "We're nearing Stranglethorn Vale." The orc pointed as he looked at the lush jungle starting to approach. "Two days before we are at Booty Bay." He added.

Larkon wanted to sit up but figured he needed to lay still for the maggots to do their work. It was at that moment he realized that he was stripped of all of his armor and was now only shirtless and in his trousers, and some boots. Before he could ask the Orc already answered.

"They took them, all your weapons and armor. Just as they did with me." The Orc answered. "But they leave this." He took a metal plated necklace from his pocket. "I'm assuming your name is Jorden? Like in this tag?" He asked as he gave it to him.

"No, it was my captain's before he was killed along with other members of my squad. The bodies you guys found in the cave that were unrecognizable." Larkon answered as he took the necklace. He flared his nose for a bit, very much bothered with their deaths. Whatever held him from breaking down from their deaths surely helped him.

"Fight Arenas." The orc suddenly said. Looking at the road ahead.

"What?" Larkon asked.

The Orc turned to him and answered. "Their going to sell us to fight at the Gladiator Arenas."

Larkon just groaned annoyingly "Damn…"

"Damn indeed human." The orc mentioned. "War, battle, blood. Orcs from the past. Hngh." He commented indifferently.

Larkon looked up to him and then back at the metal bars, looking through it and seeing the dirt road. "War, with people from the past. Seems unimaginable." He said as he looked back to the orc, frowning with indifference to what he had just said. "They would tag us with our names on the back of our armor, or print it on our skin with a rusty knife." He added as his other arm hold on below the line of the wound of his shoulder.

"Or worse. But if your name is not Jorden, then what would they put on the back of your armor or print on your skin, Human?" The Orc asked.

"Larkon, no second name." He answered to him before adding a fact. "We better familiarize ourselves if what you said is true, on putting us in the pits to fight. It's better to know you have an ally regardless of faction than none at all." He said.

"My thoughts exactly. Urak Doomfang of the Frostwolf Clan." The Orc named Urak answered.

"Uhngh." Larkon groaned in pain as his hand accidentally touched his wound. He shakes the pain off as he looked at the orc once more. "Frostwolf clan...like the Warchief Thrall? History serves an honor among them." He said as he lets go of his shoulder and offered his hand for a shake.

"And history does well to remember such honor." Urak smiled and accepted Larkon's hand for a shake.

Larkon breath heavily as he looked around. "Slavery...It was deemed Illegal on both factions from any Kingdoms, so are Gladiator Arenas ever since King Varian was recovered." He commented.

"Yet does not stop those outside the kingdoms to continue such practices in the pursuit of fortune for their own greed." Urak also commented.

"Different factions, different races. Blood Elves and Humans, Trolls and Orcs, working together for fortune. It probably have been formed in unification on different sects of organized slavery to form one big organization or guild to put on." Larkon said, as he looked at the five different races through the bars, where the troll was joking along with the human.

"To them, profit is what matters the most in life over all things. Differences matter to little them as long as there's money to be made for them to take." Urak said as he looked at the five different races with Larkon.

"Win the freedom?" Larkon asked. "Possible or not?"

"If I only knew the answer to that."

Larkon managed to sit up and looks behind at the cart, looking at the road trying to think of the other side of the map. "I promised her." He said.

"Promised who?" He asked.

He turned and sat on the corner. "A friend of mine. Draenei, promise to return home and safe." He answered, before looking back at the road again.

"Then you and I are in the same boat it would seem. I promised my family I would do the same."

Larkon shook his head, smiling in the facts and what could be false promises. "Promises, promises, nothing yet to gain but breaking their hearts if we fail." He said to him.

"Something I vowed never to happen as long as a still breathe and stand." Urak told him

Larkon looked at his shoulder, assessing himself to correlate his shoulder and his performance on the Gladiator Arena's if it does near. "If I'm not yet healed by the time I'm fighting. IF, I'm fighting there, would I get the excuse?" He asked.

"I doubt it." Urak answered.

"I hope atleast we are not going to be sold off to some male prostitution." He commented, lightly chuckling to his statement.

"If that was the case the ones who did such an act I promise will live the rest of their days unmanned." The Orc joked.

"Teh, they would probably be better off doing it with horses to satisfy their lust." Larkon countered, now both of them were chuckling on their jokes.

"I wouldn't leave anything for the horses to work with." Urak answered.

Larkon sighed, getting back to his senses on trying to work his way out. "If we do survive, and get our freedom, in your view, how long would it take?" He asked him, looking at the large orc with narrowed brow. Trying to find any solution to get himself back home.

"I don't know Larkon. It would apparently be all the matter of how valuable we are to them or how dangerous we will become for them. But either way I don't see a chance of getting out of this anytime soon." Urak answered with a sigh.

"I'm afraid so you're right. They are probably going to sell us to some elven bitch with a magic electric collar on our necks if we misbehave on her." He said to him quite frankly.

"Or they could sell us to some little greedy goblin bastard who thinks his shit doesn't stink and we'll keep us in line with whatever goes through that sick little mind of his." Urak commented also quite frankly.

The chuckled of the human counterpart emerged once more. "I like the Idea of selling us to some elven whore than what you have just said." He joked, as he tried to make a light conversation with the new soon to be ally.

"Because at least with the elven whore there's a chance she would be pretty." He joked.

"Elves are objectively pretty. Humans are like Orcs to Elves, while Orcs are like Humans to Draenei. Quite a parallel among the races. Humans are Orcs, Elves are Draeneis. Parallel." He stated.

"As I've noticed in my life." Urak mentioned.

"Meh, don't matter if interracial couplings would do. As long as their is home to contend with. As I see also that I'm going to change in the coming months with these events if I even last a month. I can't deny that. Friends back there will probably attack me for leaving them, a Dwarf will punch me in the Groin, a human in worgen form will scratch my cheek, and a light blue skinned draenei would slap my face." He said as he sighed, laying his back at the wooden floor to rest on his head, looking up.

"I will not deny I will face similar trials but I promise no matter what I will encounter I will still hold onto to who I am. So if I do return home, I will not be a stranger to the ones closest to me." Urak answered as he layed back on the metal bars also looking up.

"I bet you have contend with some Draenei when you were a small child Urak, with all your history of the Draenei people, what is it like to you meeting different races for the first time?" He asked.

"Indeed I have. Which goes into another one of those long stories I rather not talk about. But I will say that I follow the rule and law of Thrall even to my dieing breath to uphold his views for as long as I can. For not just my sake but for my clan, my people, my allegiances, and for my family." He sighed.

"Same, to the rules of law. But right now I follow till my dying breath my friends and their happiness for as long as I can. My friends in the squadron, my friends in church. Not so much to settle down and built on family, not so much perhaps I even wipe it from my mind now that I'm here." Larkon said as he turn his head towards Urak, who was holding his head down, looking at the wooden floor.

"Got a woman in your mind?" Urak suddenly asked, smiling.

Larkon sighed. "No, not really, never did find the time to search for one." He answered before looking back at him. "You?"

"I did once, a long time ago, and still do." He answered. "And it doesn't sound like no one is in your mind. What about that Draenei you have mentioned?"

"You could say I am close to her but nothing romantic or anything like that. I always kinda saw myself with someone of my own race. No offense its just I never found myself attracted to ladies of different races other than my own. There have been a few night elves here and there, but mostly my eyes are on women of my race." Larkon sighed.

"Years would go down before realizing you are childless and regrets would come by." He told him. Looking over the white clouds but was starting to recede its grey end, expecting a rain.

"That's the thing, I'm not even sure if I'm even going to live long enough to even find a girl now." Larkon answered as he just rested on the floor.

A tapping sound of the metal bars caught their attention, they both turned and saw the Troll and the bars looking at them. "Oi mon, don't cha yappin. We makin a pit stop fo tonight." The troll said as he turned to his fellow comrades, nodding at them before turning back at them. "We make sure you aint goin nowhere mon." He warned before going back to ride his mount to find a spot to camp down.

Larkon looked back at Urak and motioned the Troll to silently prove his point. Some unknown amount of time eventually passed before they finally made their so called "Pit Stop."`

The diverse slavers armed themselves up, as they let the slaves get down from the cart with chains ready on the hand of the Troll. "Arms together." The human slaver said to them. Urak was the first one to take the chain, putting his hands in front for the chain to attach. The troll then clamp down the shackles on him, though tight, it was loose enough to not bother them. Urak then separated his arms from each other, testing the range of the chains, speculating it was a full foot for his arms to move around, comfortable enough.

"Next." the human slaver called out.

Urak took a step back while Larkon was next. Like Urak, he placed his hands in front for the chain to attach. The troll then clamp down the shackles on him as he separated his arms from each other, testing the range of the chains.

"Move." the human slaver said again, poking their backs with the blunt of a pole, making the two grunt in annoyance. Still, they both obliged at the end as they walked towards the jungle canopy, looking at the lush dry grass surrounded by the trees. The Blood Elf slaver already set up the camps as the orc slaver tied their mounts and the carts at the trees beside their camp.

"Alright time to lay down a few ground rules you worthless waste of lives. Out here in those chains, we are gods, your gods. As we are gods with little to almost no tolerance for anything we don't like. That includes everything from trying to escape from us to resisting us. For example." The Goblin slaver said as he walked over to Larkon with a small mace and slammed it hard on his knee. Larkon feel to the ground cringing heavily in pain.

"If I say bark you bark and if I have to kick any of you, you all better not grit your teeth." The Goblin said before walking off to let the other slavers finish things up.

Larkon just flared his nose as he narrowed his eyes at the goblin in sheer anger, resisting any contemplating pain he was taking. He sighed, letting the anger pass as properly adjusted himself to sit up.

"Strong guy mon, probably we catch a good one?" He looked at his fellow slavers. "Perhaps we can make money out of this guy more than average." The troll commented.

"Perhaps, it all depends on just exactly how we can shape him to best fit our customer's' interest." The blood elf slaver answered.

"What about the whores? I heard the others caught a bunch of your people." The Orc slaver looked at the blood elf.

"Gentlemen we're a company who deals with products civilized societies look down upon despite all the racial differences they have with each other. What unites us is the simple fact of money so race and gender are all equally value or worthless depending on the product." The Blood elf answered.

The human then suddenly steps in the conversation. "The whores will be alongside with them." He points at the two chained warriors. "They will be dancers and whores for the elite gladiators for a boost of morale." He said as he pointed it out at his fellow slavers, before looking back at the two. "Hngh, seems you two have a chance to taste elven whores if you two win some fights." He told them.

"But the question is, which one is going to be the most profitable. The Human Alliance Guard, or the Orc Horde Soldier?" The Goblin asked.

The Blood Elf shook his head. "These two aren't your ordinary soldiers. I scouted the human along with his fellowmen, they were chased by the Orcs of Kilrrog. Then I informed you. Perhaps he is the last one, a testament that he is experienced." The Blood elf commented as he pointed at the large gash on Larkon's shoulder that was still riddled with maggots.

"What about the Orc mon?" The Troll slaver asked.

"Same, except I found him still battering a dead foe." The Blood Elf answered.

"One of Kilrrog's men or something else?" The Goblin slaver asked.

The Blood Elf dismissed. "It doesn't matter, what matters is that they are sure to sell some hefty price on their heads." He said as he then looked at the goblin. "The guild will get bigger and bigger and once we have the money, the guild will convert to a war guild."

"And with the war guild comes even better profits from the war itself." The Goblin snickered.

"Trust me, the council has already calculated the numbers. Kings and Warchiefs would pay a heavy bag of gold for the help of experienced casters and warriors." The Blood elf said before turning his back as he prepared to sat down on a leaf mat. "Attach a chain on their backs and strap them on a tree." He ordered the Orc.

The Orc walked over to Larkon and Urak and motioned them to move over to a tree. When they did as told he strapped a chain on their backs and strapped them to a tree sitting next to each other. When he finished he smirked at the sight before walking off to turn in for the night.

Some time later, Larkon and Urak sat quietly beside each other strapped to a tree. Larkon just continued to watch the maggots eat away the rotted flesh on his shoulder as it finally looked like some nice progress was being made. "So how did you end up like this?" He asked.

Urak sighed. "Thrall entrusted me on a secret mission. He had reason to believe he knew who brought the Old Horde from the past to the future. So with a squad of men we traveled to our destination to find out who. To our surprise it was Garrosh Hellscream, the son of Grom Hellscream and former chieftain of the Warsong clan. But before we could get back to report such news to Thrall we were ambushed by Garrosh's men and we made our last stand against them. Only I survived the encounter while Garrosh got away. And before I could go after him these bastards got the drop on me in my weakened and exhausted state and here I am now." Urak answered.

"The bane on what's coming." Larkon said.

"Exactly, I still need to alert Thrall of the news of our discovery of Garrosh involvement with the Portal." Urak stated as he then looked at the chains on his arms. "Though I have yet to come up with an idea how that's going to happen."

"Keep our heads on our shoulders. That's what it is." Larkon commented on that as he moved the shackles to his arm so he could rub his wrist.

"I would ask how you end up here but I have strong feeling from what I've heard from these sons of bitches that you don't want to talk about it as they described where they found you with the others of your squad as...a sickening sight." Urak mentioned.

Larkon just exhaled heavily through his nose, indicating his lack of interest to pursue the topic. "Been there done that, no gains on going back on what happened." He said.

"I understand." Urak laid back on the tree and just looked at the dark sky as he heard some thunderstorms from a distance. "Do you have family back at home?"

"No, just friends and captains." He answered somewhat coldly. "What about you, you said you had a family waiting for you."

"I do yes. But of course that's a tale for another time." He answered.

"Well we're not going anywhere so why the long secrete?" Larkon asked.

"Let's just say parts of my life are been there done that, no gains on going back on what happened." He answered.

"Then we're going to be quiet with each other then." Larkon said to him as he tampered with his wound. "Best way to focus is how we are going to have our heads on our shoulders."

"Yep." Urak agreed.

"I put my life where my sword is. That's the plan for now."

Urak feels the chains on his wrists and back for a moment and observes them closely. "Well, that's better than what I came up with." He said as he realized that the chains were too durable.

"Which was?"

"Still thinking." He joked.

The two observed the slavers frolecking with their own greed, counting out and boasting what on how on who on when. They were wondering now on what was happening at the other side of the map. Especially Larkon, who was growing concern now, that especially he is now reported as missing in action alongside with Jorden. He knows that all of his friends back then will think for the worse on what has happened to him and his men. Sure were the facts of Jorden and the others will not be coming home.

Forests jungles we're keeping an eye on them as yellow eyes glowed through the night. They paid no heed to them knowing there was no danger in reality other than thieves or panthers that were miles away.

The troll looked at the two chained warriors, looking slightly gaunt. "Mon, they lookin bad." The troll complained to his fellow slavers.

"Give them food you idiot." The Blood Elf harshly insulted at the troll.

The troll groaned and got up to go bring food over to the two chained warriors. "Of course it always me feeding the products." He complained. "And why be I the one feedin the products? Me human here mate here keeps on rapin them nice girls whenver he found one and he won't get the smack." He said as he looked at the plate, containing a bitten bread, a slightly bitten chicken legs along with other stuffs.

He walked over to the chained warriors and just tossed their meals to the dirt ground. Failing to send it close enough to their reach. Not really in the mood to deal with it he simply just tossed the plate aside and walked back to the others. Leaving the two to have to try and figure out how to get their food to their reach on their own.

"They can't really complain on the products." The human just chuckled.

"Yet I always get the smack end of the job mon." the troll continued to complain as he took his seat.

The two chained gladiators on the other hand tried to pull themselves on to reach for the left overs. They knew their stomachs are aching for food, and they would need energy to survive the next days ahead till weeks would pass by when they get proper food because of their masters.

"I wonder how long it'll take for them to realize their methods of keeping their products in nice shape is going to run them out of business real fast." Larkon commented as he struggled to reach for a piece of the food.

The Orc took this as a hint. "You slavers don't know how to sell." He insulted as he just relax his back on the tree while his human counterpart was struggling.

The slavers all heard this and turned their heads towards the two chained warriors.

"What did you say you oversized brute?" The human slaver demanded.

"You need to keep the products fresh in order to sell. I thought you slavers knew that." He said once again, curling his lips to a smile as he looked at them.

"We gave you your food be thankful for that alone." The blood elf answered. "Otherwise we haven't seen how special of products you two can be yet."

Larkon saw through Urak's alibis and tagged along with him to get what they need. "I thought you saw where we were and what we were doing. But nonetheless, you will gain little from us if you keep products gaunt and dying till the buyers rehydrate them for fights." Larkon added with Urak.

"First off I've only seen the Orc soldier prove how slightly value of a product he can be. You on the other hand we found dying in a ditch, however you've shown some strength from earlier. But that can be easily looked aside if you prove to be a waste of our resources."

"But that doesn't give reasons to starve products. If buyers would see skin and bones would they see potential gladiators?" Larkon asked, smiling.

"Ugg, I am not in the mood for this shit. Go find out what they're complaining about and fix it so we can all hit the sack and continue early in the morning." The Goblin ordered the Troll.

Urak then began to add. "Slave trade back in my time in Draenor was all about how they will look on sale. You will get nothing if they see bones and dying eyes." Urak said as he shakes his arm, tugging the chain.

The troll slaver just walked over to their food on the dirted ground and kicked it over to them so they could finally reach for them. "Just shut yall mouths. You mons look like you can go a day or two without resources to keep you in shape. Now shut up and take what we'll give you for now and we'll see if you all be worth more." He grunted before turning back and walking back to his tent to lay down for the night.

The two just immediately grabbed the food in hurry and just commented."Serves right, yet still not enough in the future when they came to buy." Larkon said as he came wolfing down the bread.

"If we're going to survive through them we'll have to take what we can one small step at a time." Urak answered and gobbled the chicken legs.

"You'll get your share when you get one." The blood elf said as the slavers get back nosing on their business.

When Urak finished he just looked back at the slavers. "And when the opportunity comes to escape. I'm going to have a hard time deciding which skull I want to crush with my bare hands first." Urak answered, his sound low enough for the slavers not to hear.

"When an opportunity is there to escape I'll immediately take myself away from the vale and go home." Larkon uttered.

"That would be the second thing I do." Urak answered.

"Then take that chance, I'm going home immediately. My friends our waiting, and I will take every opportunity to get myself home and see them"

"I will take that chance, don't worry about me. There's a lot of important people I cherish counting on me to return and I will not fail them."

Larkon didn't bother to comment as he finished his food. Though still wanting more, at least it was enough. He puts his back on his head and tampered with his wound once more. He noticed that the maggots were rolling down from his shoulder, and that the maggots that were not, was just moving around, doing nothing.

"Urak, the maggots are not eating anymore." He told.

"Then I guess that means they've had their fill of their meal then." Urak answered.

Larkon pulls out a sturdy leaf from the small bush beside him and began picking out the maggots. "Took them long enough."

"At least they got the job done." Urak answered.

"Yes they did." Larkon added as he then used the glue of other leaves to stick it to the wound, covering it.

Urak sighed tiredly and laid back on the tree while closing his eyes. "Best we get some sleep, no telling how long of a day they have prepared for us."

"We stay focused on the next." Larkon agreed as he puts his head down stared at the night sky one last time before softly closing his eyes to get the sleep he will need for the upcoming days he will face.


	14. A New Mission Unfolds

A diamond purple glow illuminated the forest night, the silence was all around it as the purple glow of the diamond grows brighter and brighter. It then magically lifted itself up into the air and it split in five smaller different pieces in a pentagonal positions. The smaller diamonds then started to spin in circles as the center began to glow and glow, the rays of the light destroyed the shadows around it.

A figure then stepped out from the light, Kreus, then followed by Lazarus. Death began to clear the grass beneath their feet as the cold grips the silent environment. Smiles were imprinting on Kreus' lips as they looked towards.

"Booty Bay, a crooked city that is full of ambitious criminals with nothing else in their minds." The Blood Elf Kreus commented as he looked at the horizon, seeing the illuminating lights of the city nearby. He then turned towards Lazarus who was slouching down as his face was covered in the Darkness of its hood. "He is in the inner parts of the city, an artifact handler goblin that cannot deny a gold or a chance to study new artifacts."

"We have met before." Lazarus answered as he started making his way down towards the city of Booty Bay, along with Kreus following him.

Sometime much later on, the two would eventually arrive at the inner part of the city inside a secluded building. Inside hundred of machines were going about their daily assignments of whatever, not trouble or bother by the arrival of the Death Knight or Warlock. At the far end corner they spotted a heavily muscular tan colored Tauren with a white underbelly, blue eyes, and short black hair with a matching small goatee and jagged bangs on the forehead. He had a few black shaman markings painted on him, most noticeable a few on his cheeks.

The Tauren wore a sleeveless leather tunic with blue trousers and a few tribal armbands on his biceps. Over this he wore a hair-pipe breastplate, leather tribal bracers, leather tribal greaves that extended past his knees, and a sleeveless deer skin coat.

At the moment the Tauren had his back leaning on the wall with his eyes closed and his arms crossed. When he felt the frozen chill of the atmosphere coming from Lazarus he opened his eyes and looked towards the two.

"Hello Serid, is your boss by chance at home?" Kreus asked.

Serid stood up and turned towards them. "He's in his room reading. You should find him there." He answered.

Lazarus just walked passed the Tauren and entered into another room. In the room was an enormous library section filled with countless books being taken care of machines and such. Lazarus journeyed to the center to find a slight and wiry green colored Goblin with his appearance hidden beneath his on a floating chair while a machine turns the pages of a large book for him to read. Wearing a full body-concealing outfit consisting of a tattered black trench coat, black gloves and leather boots, and various technological devices of all sorts strapped across his body. He wore a purple piece of fabric that covers the lower portion of his face, while a pair of dark lens goggles with functional pair of magnifying lenses attached to the lens covers his eyes. Finally he wore a large leather cap that covers the rest of his head except his pointy ears that come out of the slit cuts from the cap.

The Goblin apparently was too busy reading to notice Lazarus approaching behind until he too felt the sudden cold chill in the air. Stopping at what he was doing, the Goblin moved his floating chair to turn to face Lazarus.

"And once again our paths cross with you coming to me for something I know you want." The Goblin said.

"Dr. Jiink Boomsnipe, I need your help, a grasp of your knowledge in artifacts is what I need." Lazarus spoke.

"I already helped you once Lazarus, look at what it's brought me, because of you I lost the opportunity to grab my hands on the artifact."Jiink reminded.

"Careful Jiink, I only wish to talk and make a deal with you, don't let my anger arise from its slumber." Lazarus coldly warned, cackling and cracking his bones once more

"I know why you have come. You still seek to find what you once possessed when you were alive. So it can grant you the increase in power you seek for your goal. Why should I care about helping you find it."

"Because while I desire supreme power, you desire supreme knowledge." Lazarus mentioned as he pulled out a small chest.

Jiink looked at him for a moment and snapped his fingers to have one of his flying machines carefully take the chest and bring it to him. The machine opens the chest for Jiink to reveal a small glowing crystal like artifact with very ancient runes etched on it. From the look of the crystal it appeared to be broken and that it would acquire many different fragments.

"This is old Lazarus, very old. From the looks of it, it dates back from the timeline of when you were alive."

"Help me restore what it once was. And then I will share with you its infinite secrets to maybe supreme knowledge when I'm done with it." Lazarus requested.

Jiink looked at the crystal a little more before closing the chest and having the machine fly it off somewhere.

"Though of course it's not going to be that simple, research and recrafting of such an artifact will be expensive as you know."

Lazarus sighed and pulled out a few large bags of gold coins under his cloak and tossed them to the floor towards Jiink.

"But I think we can find a common ground here. You have deal, bring me the rest of the fragments and I will restore it to it's original form for whatever purpose you may have for it." Jiink agreed.

"Then agreements will be done. I see that you won't disappoint me." Lazarus said to him as he turned his back on him and began walking towards the door.

"I never do." Jiink commented as he turned his floating chair back to his book and continued reading.

Meanwhile back outside of Jiink's personal library, Kreus waited patiently with his back against the wall until he saw a familiar Troll Rogue entered.

"Ah I see you be require me services again ey Kreus?" Kor asked.

"Indeed, it would seem that you have impressed my Lord enough for him to hire you for even longer services." Kreus answered.

"Oi mon wer the man at?" Kor asked as he looked .

He soon felt a deep cold chill in the air and started shaking. He turned to see Lazarus exiting Jiink's library and enter the room. Lazarus suddenly stopped for a moment and started to smell something. He took several deep sniffs in the air and then looked towards Kor.

"Oi mon, what you be lookin at? I ain't interested in dating mon." Kor said somewhat jokingly as he then pulled out the cut out hair of Alura from his pouch, which was tied in a small knot.

With just a flick of his wrist, Lazarus lifted Kor magically in the air and jerked him towards him to grab Kor by the throat with his icy cold metal claws.

"That hair, where did you get it?" Lazarus asked while holding Kor tight by the throat.

Kor was tapping his wrist but the Death Knight did not let go. "Oi mon, did nothing wrong, I took it from a draenei when you got me job on stealin from them church." Kor said as he choked.

"Draenei? What Draenei?" Lazarus requested in a threatening tone that sent a chill of fear down the Rouge's spine.

"Mon she be a priestess workin there. Nothing wrong on what I be doin!" Kor said as the Death Knight finally lets him go, and just drops at the floor.

Kor struggled to regain his breath as he felt the piece of hair be taken from him by the Death Knight. Lazarus walked over to the Warlock Kreus and handed him the piece of hair. "Tell me, what do you sense from this?"

"It's white, if it is from a draenei then it's rare to have of their race, much like from my people." Kreus answered.

"The troll says he claimed it from a priestess, what type of priestess can you tell me?"

"A Holy healer, a devotee maybe." Kreus responded as he looked at the hair on his palm.

"What do you think, would she be appropriate for the Ritual?" Lazarus asked next.

"Perhaps." Kreus said as he handed the hair over to him.

Lazarus then began to take the rest of the hairs into his palms, and then turned it to ashes in his palm with the use of his unholy powers. He leaned his head and began to smell it, breathing in the ashes through his nose. The Death Knight just seemed satisfied. "Ah, she would be the one…" He commented.

"Oi mon, you burned it!" Kor complained as he now finally stood up.

Lazarus turned towards Kor with glowing blue eyes that made Kor jump.

"Bring the Draenei Priestess to me." He ordered Kor.

Kor just looked confused on to where he would begin looking for her. "Oi mon, I don't know where to begin to look fo that nice piece of ass. With the war currently, I don't know if she be in da church oh be healin some injured soldier in Draenor." Kor said.

"If she's from the Church then start your search there, find out where's she at and bring her here. We'll will be waiting for your return." Lazarus answered as he started walking off out of the building.

"Mon I'll try if she be not there, then I need you to come and make me some fancy voodoo gate of yours fo Draenor."

Kreus sighed and handed Kor an artifact he had. "If she's in Draenor use this to take you there. But start your search at where you found her at the Church. Track her down and bring her here as soon as you can. We promise to reward you for your troubles if you succeed."

"Big moneh this time mon, what be yo askin price fo this job?" Kor asked.

"Just get it done and you will be rewarded for the job." Kreus told him before walking off to go join the Death Knight outside the building.

"Mon, I ask on mo mon, if a captured the space goat, how would I deliva her? It be difficult to be havin her on ma me shoulda." Kor said.

"You figure it out but bring her back here as soon as you can. Oh and we'll need her...pure and untouched." Kreus answered while still walking off.

"A gotcha mon." Kor assured.

* * *

Kinar and Alura made their down the streets towards the large mansion building that Thark told them to meet them at. It was a pretty long walk from the inn to this place but they were able to eventually find the mansion since it stood out from how large it was and all the gardens and other mechanical stuff that surrounded it. They could easily tell this place belong to a gnome of some sorts.

"Remind me why are we coming here again?" Kinar asked.

"Thark said he's an old friend who may help us. He's suppose to be a mage who's had many years of practice and experience." Alura answered.

"Aye he got more than experience and practice lass." The two see Thark come walking in along in a new traveler outfit on.

Thark was now wearing a simple old dark long sleeve tunic and trousers underneath a knee length short sleeve scale armor coat with brown leather gauntlet gloves and matching knee-high boots. Various bandoliers that held ammunition and gunpowder were wrapped around his waist and across his chest. Finally he wears an old tattered forest green hooded cloak wrapped around his neck and still wore his trademark three strap eye patch over his left eye.

His Wolfslayer Sniper Rifle and a blunderbuss were slung across the right of his back. Both held by the Bandoliers strapped across his chest. Flintlock pistols rested in holsters on his hips, at his back, on his shins, and beneath his arms.

Alura and Kinar raised their eyebrows in surprise. "Is that you Thark?" They both asked.

"Aye somewhat, good to see some of me old gear still fit me. Almost like I bought it yesterday." Thark answered.

Kinar and Alura looked at each other briefly before Thark started making his way over to the mansion.

"So who is this gnome?" Kinar asked.

"He be Finan Wobblespindle, a powerful and experience mage in the field of Arcane and one of the King's Royal mages soon to be retired. We've done a few tasks together now and then back in me days in the guard and he always got me out of sticky situations that require magic to solve the problems. If we be heading into Draenor, we gonna need his expertise and knowledge for the possible magic situations I know we'll encounter." Thark answered.

Almost on queue, Finan came walking out of his mansion looking through some notes until he noticed Thark and the other three.

"Finan!" Thark called out excitedly and raised his arms for a hug.

Finin yelled in fear and rushed right back into his mansion and closed the door.

Thark raised an eyebrow. "Hey?"

"He sure does remember you." Alura questioned.

"He just shy." Thark said as he walked over and kicked the door down. "Finan come here."

Finan was rushing over to his desk which was piled with scrolls of notes. "Whatever it is, whatever you think, you can forget Thark! Every Time I come with you I get shot! Last time I got shot in the ass! I've been mourning for my ass!" Finan called out as he grabbed his notes and try rushing off to another location in his house.

"Aye ye be flummin yo boots fer that! I'd get me back to it, now get ye fleas from yer hair and come out ya flee flummin gnome!" Thark demanded angrily.

"Thark I am a month away from retirement. I am in the middle of one of the most important experiments requested by his Royal Highness Anduin Wrynn, Prince of Stormwind, for the soldiers fighting at the Dark portal. And everytime I come with you I seem to always get shot. I want to retire in peace Thark while I'm still standing on my two feet!" Finan yelled at Thark while on the second floor of his mansion gathering books.

"Aye you fleein lying gnome! Yer experiments with the Prince are flamin expired years ago! Now get yer rear or them tree hugging night elves will get infermation from me!" Thark threatened.

"It's sounds like he's not had that much fun with you in the past." Kinar asked.

"Aye it be nit that bad." Thark answered.

"Um it's exactly as it sounds. There we are out scouting at this small little town. The people there are wild and drunk celebrating some kind of holiday not knowing what they're doing. I'm following this dwarf around who just wanted to get a good drink and next thing you know I get shot. I'm there laying on the ground bleeding from my ass end while Thark here is getting drunk as a clown walking past me with some belly dancing girls." Finan answered behind the door.

"Belly dancing girls?" Kinar asked and looked at Thark with a raised eyebrow.

Thark smiled nervously.

"You know Finan maybe we should talk." Alura commented. "But If Thark puts great trust in you to trouble you like this, then you have my trust as well."

"I don't even know you people and you're hanging out with the Dwarf who always get's me shot." Finan countered.

"Please forgive him, he is just as bothered by the current events that have founded us. But if may, it would just take a few minutes, if you do not accept then we will no longer bother you here." Alura said.

"Young lady and I'm not bothered by the events going on now. The royal family has entrusted me to get these special herbs ready and sent to our soldiers fighting at the dark portal and I have been working on them for months now while dealing with tree loving nut jobs and I am a month away from retirement after serving as a royal mage to Stormwind for over fifty years." Finan answered.

"If it may, many of our priestesses knew about herbs. They would agree to help if you would give us a time." Alura offered.

Finan stuck his head out of his door and looked at the Priestess. He looked at Thark and Kinar who remained quiet.

"Fine, you have seven minutes to tell me what you want before I have to get back to my work." Finan told her as he stepped out of his office and looked up towards her.

"Thark would explain, he's the one who requested." Alura said as Thark stepped forward.

"Oh no you made the offer you explain, I'm not going a hundred and fifty feet near that gun trotting lunatic until you little lady explain everything." Finan demanded.

She bit her lip as he looked at her with crossed arms. "A friend of mine is in grave danger. Thark here said that you would be of great help if you come help us, and I would feel eternally grateful if you offer your help to us and help him." Alura said to him, looking down at the Gnome.

The Gnome looked at her for a moment and looked back at the others with a raised brow until finally realizing what's going.

"Oh no, I see what this is. Your a priestess who wants to go on a quest to where the war is at to find this friend of your's, and Thark has talked you into wanting to drag me along because of all those times I pulled his drunk shooting ass out of the magical miss up he would always get himself in. Am I right?" Finan asked.

"This isn't a demand that you must accept, you are free to say no. But I would take the chance to find more help on bringing Larkon and Jorden along with his men back home." She answered.

"Larkon you say. I know him I usually call him to help me deal with issues that always comes around at my house. And so by accepting, not only would I get your eternal gratitude but you would let some friends of yours in the church help with my work?" Finan asked.

"I happen to be a Druid I can help." Kinar offered with a raised hand.

Finan looked at Kinar for a moment. "Well a Druid would help get everything finished on time and I have been needing to find some help from Druids. Problem is most druids are tree loving nut jobs. But not you Worgen, you're not one of them. Very well, with these offers that can help with my work, I accept and will accompany your group in help finding Larkon. On the only one condition that I don't get shot this time comeing along with Thark here." Finan asked.

"Aye get yer hats off, I did that fer touching her ass when she was supposed to be fer the night." Thark accepted.

"You lie I didn't touch no girl's ass hell I didn't even want to come with you to that lawless town when everyone was drunk out of their minds and you go and shoot me in the ass because you thought I was hitting on some belly dancing girl you were trying to put the moves on while drunk as a clown." Finan countered.

"Please let us leave, the panda is waiting for us on the gates with a cart." Kinar sluggishly requested.

"What panda?" Finan asked.

"Aye ye'll see him when we get there." Thark said.

Finan groaned and quickly gathered some supplies and his work before exiting his home with the three. They four made their way over to the gate while Finan finishes placing the last of his work inside a small traveler bag.

"So Druid how much experience do you have in drudic magic?" Finan asked.

"Well, you could say I specialize in using a mixture of Balance and Restoration druidic magic." Kinar answered.

Alura then interrupted as the Valley of Heroes once again was seen. "Hey Kinar, I read about Alleria and Toralyon, like what Larkon suggested, it was very beautiful, I just hoped wherever they are they are alright." Alura said as she pointed out, going back to some fresh memories of spending time with him as a new friend.

"Yes, yes, same old same usual story everyone knows. Now going back to the subject Ms. Kinar, you said you specialize in using a mixture of Balance and Restoration druid magic am I right?" Finan asked.

Alura just narrowed her brows to him as he said it, looking at him with an insulted expression. Nevertheless she lets it go as her eyes wandered on the others once more. She looked at Thark started a conversation with him to deal with time. "Hey Thark, when I went out with Kinar and Larkon, he told me so much about histories of these heroes, it was very informative." She said to him as she smiled on.

"Aye so the lad told ye the tale of Alleria and Toralyon did he?" Thark asked.

"Yes, it was quite a scene to behold for the two standing over the gates. I wonder also what it was like for Toralyon to finally have the assurance that Alleria also loved him. You know?"

"Aye I wouldn't know lass. Never in me days have I ever pursued that path so I be not the best Dwarf to talk to regarding that. But don't tell me that story got ye in seconds thoughts about ye vows at the Church?" Thark asked looking at Alura with a raised brow.

Alura thought about it, a small house, a happy life, a small child in her arms and an unknown lover to share with. It brought a tugging smile on to her lips that she felt in her heart, but her mind had things on the otherwise. "I-I don't think it is enough. I mean, it's beautiful to think about it, being a wife to someone and raising a child. But...I guess it is still." She answered to him, there was a point in her words that she was stammering, she felt like she was just in denial.

"I know lass and ye still got ye vows to uphold which there is also nothing wrong with that either." Thark nodded.

Meanwhile, Kinar was still answering questions from Finan.

"Yes my mother was the one who taught me drudic magic. She said I had an inherent druidic potential for a natural ability for magic. Also since I am a Worgen I already possessed the ability to shape shift between my human and worgen form, so shape shifting into additional forms just always came more easily to me then it did to other species." She answered.

"I see…" Finan answered.

"My mother's gentle and soft nature is also what allowed her into accepting my father. Because perhaps there was a point in your time when that being a Worgen was outlawed? She was a Human and my father was a human turned with the worgen curse" She asked.

"Perhaps. Let's see, tell me how you are able to specialize in using a mixture of Balance and Restoration druid magic." He asked next while not taking his eyes off the scroll that he just pocket it out.

"I can heal." She glowed her arms in green as her eyes glowed in the same color also. "And I can fight…" She created a miniature cyclone on her hands.

"Hmmm...interesting. Alright that should do it." He finished writing down some notes with a quill and puts the scroll back up.

It was around that time the four were able to meet up with the Pandaren, Quon, who was waiting on them with a cart. There were three horses that were going to carry them towards the Dark Portal, adding to that, there were also many who were heading to their destination as they noticed many were packing along just like them.

"The luck of the Draw has granted me these horses." Quon said. "It should not take long to reach our destination, perhaps a week would suffice, yes? Ey, now along with other adventurers which is also going to our way, danger will not bother with us with large numbers." Quon assured before looking down, noticing the Gnome. "Ah! Who is this little one?"

"A Pandaren? Here? Who the hell is this, and what the hell is he doing here, and why the hell is he coming along with us?" Finan asked looking at everyone.

"He offered unfavored help, he would assist us in our way to get Jorden's men home if we ever found them." Kinar answered.

"Ah yes, that is quite the accurate situation yes? So anyhow, I brought horses the we needed along with the carts. So this Captain friend of yours, I a law abiding pandaren would know that whatever the General did to them is quite Illegal. You cannot send them to the front lines if they are not part of the Military Garrison, they are not because they are Town Guards, the only exception is they are trained with great discipline that would allow them to use life saving magic that could physically save them if it must. But nonetheless they are fighting outside with Illegal Orders." The Panda said, reading a scroll that he took from his pouch. "So It is a case that the law has been thrown out, like a dried leaf from a branch."

Alura looked at Thark as the panda help encouraged her point as to why they were going in the first place.

"Aye ye be speaking the truth, and if we find Jorden's squad we got something to hang that bastard Moira by the neck for what he's been doing. But we won't get anything done here standing in awe at the scenery." Thark answered.

"Agreed." Quon answered as everyone hoped onto the cart with Thark taking the rope to drive. With a simple tap, the horses began moving towards the direction of where everyone was going. While, Kinar, Quon, Alura, and Finan sat at the back in the cart.

"Well I guess we have a long, long, long road ahead don't we?" Finan asked. He then turned his attention back to Alura curios on what was happening. "So, oi Draenei, I heard Durel the other day, he told me that a Draenei visited Larkon's wood tent probably….a month and a half ago? So anyhow he told me that, so because you are the only Draenei he probably knows, it should be you that visited him. So, why did you visit him? Start thinking on interracial dating?" Finan stated with a question, his tiny voice was quite loud to match the air flowing by due to the speed of the cart.

Alura sighed annoyingly. "For the last time it was nothing like that of any sort. I am still a priestess of the Light and I still hold my vows to the Church deeply. I visited him at his tent because I was deeply concerned for him for by that he had not shown or appeared at the church for sometime. SO I was just worried for his safety and for his soul. He's a really close friend and I see him like family just as I see Kinar and Thark as family." Alura answered.

Quon who was sitting in a cross leg position with his arms crossed listened in and smirked a little. At which he pulled out a large book from one of his traveling bags and started writing stuff down. Kinar took notice and looked towards the Pandaren.

"Whatcha got there?" She asked curiously.

"The stories from the journey of my travels." He answered. "A great story when I get back to Pandaria and start telling children on how a Priestess from space would chase and love a man of Earth." Quon said as he writes it down.

"For the last time everyone it's not like that. Thark can you help me out here please in convincing them all I still want to hold true to my vows." Alura begged.

"Marvelous! Truly she denied yet her heart was hurting to say it!" Quon exclaimed as he wrote it down once more, smiling through his snout.

"Thark!" Alura begged.

"The lass is right Panda, Alura has been a priestess longer than you and I have been alive and was one before we even learned how to walk. If there's anything I know about her in all the years we've known each other, she's not the one to give up her vows just like that." Thark answered in Alura's defense.

"And I met a Night Elf telling me a story on how a Priestess of the Moon bed a Warrior from the South." Quon countered quite gleefully. "I am not to deny what is on what is not. Perhaps time would pass by."

"Yes but that's different. I mean, can we just drop the subject please I'm not giving up my vows and that's final." She explained in defense.

Finan just sighed as he rubbed his face with his hand in irritation. "This is going to be a long trip."

"So how many stories have you encountered or recorded since you left Pandaria?" Kinar asked curiously.

"Well I've seen many. First was a veteran warrior, a human adopting a blood elf of young age, just at her teens. I've met them both and they lived now somewhere in the Farmland just near the City. The Blood Elf Identifies herself secretly as a Half-elf, but they revealed to me, for the reason of me being a panda. Quite a wonder yes?" Quon answered as he just suddenly pulled a small bottle of beer from his bag.

"Well at least you know when to come equipped with the good stuff." Finan mentioned seeing Quon pull out a beer bottle.

"A panda knows what to do." Quon responded to his comment.

"Wow, and that's only one of the stories you've recorded?" Kinar asked.

"Oh yes, it amazes me actually! The people I've met and wrote down was very honest. They throw racial prejudice out from the window like a withered leaf. But My favorite was when a Blood Elf and a Human got trapped together in a room for a whole one month." He told them.

"Wow a blood elf and a human in a room for a whole month, how did that go?" Finan asked as he layed back on the cart.

"Hmm, let me see…" he takes a small diary out, flipping through out the pages then. "Ah I remember, so the Blood was a run away from her own family when she found out who she will wed. And the Human was a self-sacrificed son adopted to a widowed High Elf, and a nephew to the veteran Dagren the Orc Slayer." He answered to them. "And they…...are quite together along with a peaceful family life in the end."

Alura and Kinar smiled at hearing these stories becoming more fascinated with each word. Finan just sighed and rubbed his face.

"Well ain't that a mind melt. Mind sparing me some of that beer please I think I'm in need of some at the moment." Finan requested.

Quon handed Finan the small bottle of beer as he opened it.

"Um won't that kill some of your brain cells?" Kinar asked.

Finan looked at Kinar. "Little lady I am a month away from retiring from serving as a royal mage for over fifty years. I've think I've earned the right to kill just a few little of my brain cells." Finan took a small swig of beer and handed it back to Quon. "Also I should've been retired a years ago, but because of all the crap that keeps going on with the Lich King, Deathwing, and now the Dark Portal, my retirement always seems to be proposed."

Quon made an opportunity to get back to his story. "Oooooh! Speaking of Lich King, the Story of the Night Elf I mentioned earlier would quite fascinate you!" He gleefully exclaimed as he takes out another diary.

"I bet she would but seriously it's always Finan do this, Finan do that, I'm almost at the age when I'll drop any moment. Thark here the ass end of angry drunk goat got to retire from his time in the guard. I've been serving as a royal mage longer than he's been working when do I get the privilege to settle down and relax while I'm still standing on my two feet?" Finan asked.

"You stand at two feet tall. Buwaahahahaha!" Quon joked and laughed.

"Um that's three feet, not two feet monk, get that written down clear in your book." Finan corrected.

"Aye who ya be callen the ass end of an angry drunk goat?" Thark called back.

"You ya outraged unsober jackass. Whenever you get yourself in a mess I'm always the one who had to use my magic to pull your drunk ass out of the fire only for you to repay me by somehow getting me shot!" Finan barked at Thark.

"Would you two please! Shut your anger for once in awhile." Kinar complained then turning back to Quon. "So please, Quon continue the story."

"Very well, which one would you like to hear next?" He offered.

"Do you have any stories that would maybe involve any Worgens or such in them?" Kinar asked.

"I have one, this is quite a story to tell of a soft and very beautiful woman meeting a man cursed by the curse of the worgs." Quon said to her, taking out a diary.

"Really, how does it go?" She asked curiously.

He flipped the booked and started to read through the pages. "It was when being a Worgen was outlawed. Till a woman of nature freed him." Quon answered before asking. "So do you want to hear it?"

"Yes please." Kinar requested excitingly.

* * *

She a young girl, a gifted young woman having the affinity with nature come about from the door of her home. A parade comes in on their land,as a man chained in a cage was paraded through the streets as the people walked by throw their hiss at him. The young woman felt sympathy as she looked on to his expression from the distance as they dropped him at the center of the town.

It was not a sight to behold, as her mind did not know why they found pleasure through the pain and humiliation of others. A crude broken plate filled with leftovers from their meal was the source of his nutrition, while the luck of rain was the source of his hydration. She observed it in the following days till she just decided to bring her water and food in each night where everyone falls asleep.

* * *

Quon gripped his chin. "Perhaps it is not a time." He stopped.

"Aww...and it was getting great." Kinar complained in disappointment.

"I know, but fear not, for in time more will be shown at the right of times." He smiled and patted her head.

"I wish I understood your metaphors." She sighed.

"Aye Quon I got me a question. Since you recorded stories and all from strangers. Ye got any stories from anyone we may know?' Thark asked.

Quon flipped through his pages and found one. "Indeed, I have one that was shared with me personally by a Draenei Paladin who many know as Joven." Quon answered.

"My father?" Alura asked in slight shock as she turned to face the Pandaren.

"Oh yes, quite so. His first story began Thirty-six years ago, on Draenor. He recalled a great battle in the holy city of Shattrath." Quon said but he dismissed the other events. "But then he refused to tell the other great events he had in his life."

"How did you even meet up with him?" Alura asked.

"Just a fullmoon ago. When he was leaving Stormwind to the Dark Portal, I got the chance to encounter him in one of the many stops he had to take for supplies for the journey."

Alura sighed and just lean back on the cart a little, clearly not in the mood to talk about her father. She takes a look on her hands that rested on her legs, rubbing her index fingers along with her hands, looking at it with abandonment to her surroundings.

"He had spoke very highly of his daughter like any proud loving father would of their beloved child." Quon mentioned to her.

Alura looked at him with a very high degree of disagreement. "If he loves me then he failed to show it." She mentioned.

Quon looked at her. "Ah, I see, problems regarding what is love to a father and daughter. Don't let bitterness strain your heart Priestess. If your heart yearns for a friend in the war, then there must be a room for your heart to yearn for the comfort of a father." He told her.

She didn't respond, she just sat there leaning back at her seat still rubbing her index fingers along with her hands.

"From what I have heard, Every Draenei would know that part of history involving Shattrath, and everyone knows that also outside. But Northrend from what I gathered, seemed personal for him." he spoke next as he pulled up the story regarding what Joven told him.

Alura then finally responded. "Please, shred me of silence from mentioning his name and our dreadful history years ago." She complained.

Quon looked at her and closed his book. "As you wish."

"Well now that's over with, I guess we get some sleep since there's no telling how long of a ride or walk or whatever journey this is going to take." Finan suggested as he closed his eyes with his arms crossed to get some early sleep.

Quon did the same and titled his coolie hat forward to cover his face partially. Kinar looked towards Alura who was still just rubbing her index fingers along with her hands unresponsive.

"Alura?"

Alura looks up to her. "Yes?"

Kinar remained silent for a moment, not sure how to ask if she is alright or not. "Um...are you, going to be okay?" she tried asking.

"I'm okay, I'm just worried for Larkon you know? Going in there to do his duty, where they were forced from their will to do so." She answered to her, yet she immediately returned to her unresponsive state.

Kinar could tell her concern for Larkon wasn't the only thing heavily plaguing her mind. With a gentle nod she decided to lay down and get some sleep for the long trip ahead.

Meanwhile Alura thought very deeply to herself about how Quon reminded her of people's dreaded history. She pushed her thoughts down inside deep in her mind painfully and just let her head down to rest, letting it slide as her glowing blue eyes became heavy.


	15. Gladiators Anew

The carts rolled on to the road as they approached the crooked city, the two warriors just sat down on the bench of the cart as they waited for them to reach their destination. Both of their eyes were looking down on the their hands that were covered in dirt.

Larkon checked his shoulder, the wound was not closed yet it still was sore. He looked at the road ahead, finding many carts on their way filled with other people of different races. Like them they were chained from other slavers of the same situation.

"Kidnapping and slavery is really rampant here." Larkon mused before looking at the Blood Elf. "If you convert the guild into a mercenary guild, what happens to the slaves?" He asked.

"I could honestly care less as long as we get the money that's worth from them." he answered as he stopped the cart and hopped off to go find some potential buyers.

Larkon watched him and the others leave while the troll slave stood watch. Urak growled angrily at the troll a little before looking back at his hands.

"I wonder how long we've been traveling with them?" Urak asked Larkon.

"What?" Larkon looked at him in confusion.

"Has it been a week, two weeks, more. By now both our respective factions would label us either dead or missing by now." Urak answered.

"Dead by a month, Missing in action for now." He answered, looking down as he rolled his wrist shackles on to his arm so that he could rub and scratch his wrist.

Urak sighed heavily. "Probably by the time we get out, the information I acquired from my mission would be useless by then wouldn't it?"

"Ignore that, get focused on looking big." Larkon said as he looked at the distance, seeing a the Blood Elf escorting an another blood elf towards them. It could indicate a buyer for them, in which the two judged by the way it clothes.

"Unfortunately I can't Larkon. Allot of brave men and women fought and died alongside me in that mission. Some of them I had fought and bleed with for many years. And to see their deaths be in vein because of vile slavers preventing me from completing it." he said as he eyed the potential blood elf buyer.

"Then you're on your own." Larkon commented as the buyer finally checked on them. There was two orc bodyguards trailing behind him along with other slaves. One female blood elf slave, another a female human slave, and a female night elf slave. All three chained in a straight line wearing only revealing ragged clothing that barely covered what they needed to cover.

"I wouldn't say that. Think of it as a reason as to why I'm focused on looking big as your are right now with your reasons." Urak smirked a little.

Larkon didn't answer back to him as he narrowed his brows, giving off a very threatening frown that indicated anger.

"So, this is our product, these two are special." The Blood Elf slaver offered to him, gesturing his hand on to the two as he yanked the chain of Larkon towards the Blood Elf buyer, making him grunt as he towered his size over them.

"Doesn't look anymore special than the human whore I just bought." the blood elf buyer commented as he examined Larkon carefully.

"You never know." The Blood Elf slaver said, as he approached the female slaves and just suddenly gripped the chin of the human slave harshly. "I don't think whores could be found in the middle of the forest near a last man battle field. When he teleported to Draenor in Tanaan Jungle, we specifically looked throughout the forest, and he came up." He told him as he flick his hand away from her chin, gesturing at Larkon.

"True but since I'm the one spending the money I would like to know if what I'm buying is worth the coin. And I would like to see with my own eyes instead of hearing from the seller." he mentioned looking back at the blood elf slaver.

The blood elf buyer then looked back at Larkon to take notice at the bulk of his mass along with his slightly tall physique, it was one of the traits that he would gladly accept. Along with him noticing different scars of his body, and especially the recent gashing wound he had on his shoulder. He smiled and saw potential. What he was truly interested in was his eyes. His eyes, with a narrowed brow, looking at nothing but the horizon ahead, yearning for freedom, and seeing the dread of hate through it.

"But I can tell from what I'm seeing before me that maybe he won't be a waste." the blood elf buyer then walked over to Urak to examine the Orc. Urak easily towering over him to the point he had to look up just to look eye to eye with the orc and see how massive and brutish he looked.

"Where did you find this orc?" The buyer asked.

"We found him on the middle of the forest mon, he be pricey because found him poundin on a dead corpse of one of Kilrrog's orc." The Troll slaver answered.

"More expensive than the human?" the buyer asked next.

"He fought his battles, the orc fought his battles. They're both expensive." The human slaver said. Gesturing at both of them.

"I see...how much for both of them?" he asked now interested in both of the two warriors.

"The whores, how much did you pay for them?" The Human countered.

"Is that their price?" he asked next.

"We don't want your whores. We want double on what you have paid for them." The human corrected somewhat with a slightly raised .

"My whores are not for sale, I just bought them. So double of what I paid for my whores for both of them?" the buyer said not taking his eyes off Larkon or Urak.

"That's what I emphasized." The human said impatiently with crossed arms.

"Really, because I think you people are trying to swindle me with that kind of price." the blood elf buyer suddenly said as he turned towards the group of slavers.

"Then the deal is off if that's what you want." He said as he prepared to pack up. "Take your whores and leave."

"Oh I think not because from what I've observed, I deserve a few discounts." The blood elf buyer points to Larkon's injured shoulder and the poor health both the warriors were in. "You've obviously have not been taking good care of your merchandise. And yet you want to sell me them twice as much as I bought for my whores who were at least taken good care of." He mentioned as he snapped his fingers for his Orc bodyguards to draw their weapons and walk over to the slavers. "So let's figure out a discount price for your sloppy handling."

"Oi mon, I told ya we should've taken care of da merchandise." The troll commented on to the Blood Elf slaver.

"What are you bitching about, it was your job to feed them and you just threw their food to their dirt and let them fend for themselves. So this is all on you!" the Goblin slaver yelled.

"If that's the condition, then I want the price to be just at the condition where I paid for my beautiful whores." The buyer smirked.

"Well if anything them surviving our poor handling of them should be proof enough of their iron will and usefulness. So the price stays." the Orc slaver countered.

"Really, because obviously brute. You don't know how to sell slaves. I will buy them for the same price I bought the whores, that's what they're currently worth."

"No deal, these two are special and battle hardened and they survived their battles and our so called lousy handling. Either take the price or go somewhere else." the human slavery mentioned.

"Oh no you see that's where you're wrong. I do find these products worthy of my coin but not to the extent you are trying to charge when I got more products out of the same price that were nicely taken care of. And if I recall, swindleing isn't something you try doing unless you're caught." the blood elf buyer motioned for one of his Orc bodyguards to grab the Human slaver by the next and strangle him. "So here's my final offer, either you sell me your merchandise for the same price I paid for my last buy or I have you all killed on the spot for trying to rip me off and then just take your merchandise by force free of charge. That's my final offer so what's it going to be?"

"Done Deal." The Blood Elf slaver responded.

The blood elf buyer snapped his fingers to drop the human slaver who was at this point coughing heavily to try and regain his breath.

"Now see, was that so hard?" the buyer asked with a satisfied smirk. He then gestured the guards three sacks of gold, containing each a thousand pieces. "Take it." Then gesturing at his guards to chain Urak and Larkon along with the female slaves.

Larkon complied alongside Urak as they were chained to the female slaves. He looked back towards them and saw how deeply frightened they were of both of the situation and of him and Urak as well.

"You two will have your rest when we get there." The Blood elf buyer tapped both of their backs.

The two looked back at the buyer, finally taking notice of his features. He was an ordinary looking blood elf mage with a muscular and athletic build with long dark brown hair and the usual green eyes. He wore a fancy ankle length red coat with shoulder coverings, gold trim, and the chest exposed. He also wore a large fancy jewel set in a belt wrapped around his waist, red gold trim bracers, simple black trousers, and leather brown boots.

"Call me Zanis Lightstar, Lightstar, or just Zan in common terms." The Blood Elf said as he looked on to them, raising both of their brows in confusion. "I'm not like your typical abusive Slavers, if you do good, you will be rewarded greatly." He said to them as the bodyguards escorted them out. Zanis then turned and gestured for the guards to escort them out in the city where a nearby cart was waiting for them.

Once they were outside, the guards opened the cart for the slaves to enter and sit inside. When they all were in and sat down, the guard closed the crate and walked over to Zanis and the other guard to start their leave.

"If we do good, we will be rewarded greatly…." Larkon repeated to Urak.

"As nice of a deal that sounds you don't plan on staying as a slave forever do you?" Urak asked.

"I don't." He said as he pulls the shackles of his wrist to his arm and scratched his wrist. "These shackles are itchy." He then turned to the three female slaves. "Hey, do any of you have healing properties?" He asked them quite indifferently as if being quite used to situations like this.

All three of them, the Human, the Blood Elf, and the Night Elf shook their heads in response. "We are nothing special, we are just ordinary citizens who got caught up in this situation." The Blood Elf said. She was a very beautiful young woman with pale white skin and light green eyes. She had golden-blonde hair that flows all the way down to her back while it only reaching her upper chest in the front with her bangs hanging just above her light green eyes. She was average in terms of height standing at five foot four, with a very buxom body that was slightly gaunt in terms of physique.

"How about you two?" Urak asked at the night elf slave.

"We are the same, nothing out of the ordinary." The Night Elf said. Like the blood elf she was a beautiful young woman with light purple colored skin and silver glowing eyes. She had long flowing blue hair kept tied in a long ponytail, reaching all the way down to her rear with two strands sticking out from the top and sloping backwards, with an green ribbon keeping it in place. She had a very voluptuous figure that was also slightly gaunt while standing at the average height of six feet.

Urak then turned his attention to the human who was keeping quiet as she looked down on the floor as the carts rolled on. "How about you human?" He asked her.

The human female looked at the orc slightly with terrified sad eyes. Of all the female slaves she appeared to be the youngest. Like the other two she was a beautiful young woman who possessed messy chin length black hair, soft blue eyes, slight tan skin, and a buxom figure that was also slightly gaunt. She was also the shortest standing maybe only five feet, only a few inches shorter than the blood elf.

"Slavery is rampant these days. Even innocent civilians get into the heat of it." Larkon commented.

The human female slave didn't say anything, she just looked away slightly.

"I see…" Urak commented as he watched the human female look away as a form of a quiet answer. "Well I guess we'll just have to endure the shackles until we arrive at who know except Zan knows where."

"We also need to keep our heads on our shoulders. Unlike these three they only need to expose themselves." The town guard commented harshly that slightly spark the irritation of the Night Elf.

"Hey wait a minute we're not like that much. We have to play it safe just as much as you two have to, because just exposing ourselves doesn't always work all the time." the night elf said in her and the other's defense.

Larkon didn't respond to her complaints as he turned his back and looked through the bars ahead of the road. "One, two, three, four…" He begins counting.

"What are you counting for human?" the blood elf female asked.

"Injured trees, patterns on how to return back to this road. It is a basic survival instinct taught to us if we ever get lost." He said as he pointed out, he then looked at her and ask. "Want to see?"

"Um sure uh…"

"Larkon."

The Blood elf turned and looked through the bars as Larkon kneeled and observed just beside her. "What do you know?" She asked.

He pats her shoulder and sticks his arm out through the bars. "Look at the skin of the trees, they had crusts right?" He said to her, receiving a response in the form of a nod. "That is the hint the cold wind, if there is a cold wind then there is a sea, if there is a sea then there could be a port where civilization lies, like Booty Bay." He taught her. "Follow the trees, look for the crusted skins."

"I see…" she noded and observed the trees with him.

"Since we're all in the same boat or cart here might as well get to know each other. I am Urak Doomfang, and my human friend there already introduced himself as Larkon. What are you three known as?" Urak asked the three female slaves.

"I am Arseah Lightsilver. I work as a lower class maid in my time before I was taken. And I am not xenophobic like most of my people." The Blood Elf introduced herself.

"Seleara Moonarc. I'm a herbal healer, I was out gathering herbs for medicine and that's how they caught me." The Night elf said.

Larkon looked towards the human slave girl who still kept quiet. "What's her name?" he asked.

"Her name is Rachel, she doesn't talk much." Arseah answered.

Rachel softly nodded her head a little."I'm a farmer…." She softly spoke.

"Above all else I guess you three have spent enough time together to be friends I assume? But nonetheless keeping yourself in a positive notion gives off my respect. Forgive me if I was quite rude in the beginning of our descent." Larkon stated with an apology as he combed his messy hair over his head with his hands. He then tampered his wound which was now festering as the color changes into a brownish like color.

"It's okay we get it all the time." Seleara answered as she laid back at the cart some. "So what your stories, from what we heard you two were both in battle before you were caught."

"No I survived a battle while Urak here was in the middle of finishing one." Larkon answered."Don't mistake us for a beast, were all victims of war here, we kill to survive and we fight for freedom…." He told them as he looked at them with an apologetic look.

"Must be horrible for you two." Arseah commented.

"It's something we've been used to all our lives, but I can imagine it's not as horrible as what you three are going through right now." Urak answered.

"We...I have to do things to survive when I got captured….." Aresah told them softly, looking at her hands on her legs as she told them. The bangs of her face was covering her eyes.

"I take it that this isn't your first time being sold to a master?" Larkon asked.

"I'm used to it….nobles of our kind don't treat lower class elves like me with dignity…" She answered to him.

Larkon looked at the three for a moment before laying back at the cart as it continued to roll towards it's destination. The rest of the trip was silent as it took until mid day for them to reach their destination at their master's place. It was a big mansion, much like a fortress in the middle of the vale, scattered with slaves working in through the forest canopy, along with guards on top of the wall. Showing what a testament on how wealthy their Blood Elf master is as it stood out in the village.

"We're here. This is where we get off, here in the small village." Zanis told them as he got up from the cart and walked through. "The land has been colonized with different races, mainly merchants that paved way on opportunity, there are no laws here on banning slavery, but there are other laws on other crimes, it is much like an ordinary village like everywhere else." He said as he gestured at the guards to unlocked the door of their cart.

The five quietly exited out of the cart while the other guard lead them to follow their master as they walked through the village towards his mansion that stood at the center of the village.

"Like I promised, you will get your due to rehydrate and eat." He said to them before adding a warning. "And don't think of trying to escape, the guards are former slaves from the Gladiators, they are all champions who fought their freedom…" He warned them, before gesturing at the guard. "Take the five to the dining area, take their shackles off and get them fed."

The guards bowed their heads in respect and lead the five inside the mansion while Zanis walked off to go take care of something the five wasn't sure of. As they were being lead into the dinning room, they took the moment to observe the inside of the mansion as they walked in. It was a very large mansion, typical for a noble to have decorative pots scattered on the corner of their walls as a giant chandelier hang on the middle of the ceiling, armored statues were at the at double door as they walked through.

Once they were lead into the dining room, a human guard walked over and started unlocking all of their chain shackles off them. The dining room was a normal large room with a long table made to seat hundreds of gusts that could come, along with the usual decoration one would expect from a table of such magnitude.

"Walk in the kitchen, the table is ready. Our master will return after he attends to some personal businesses errands of his." The guard said before walking off.

The five took the moment to rub the limbs that were shackled for so a long time to both get rid of their heavy itch and try and get feeling back into their limbs.

"Interesting master we have. The guards here were former slaves of his that fought for their freedom yet chose to stay and work for him." Urak mention as he rubs his wrists to get feeling back into them

"Unlike others, they seem satisfied here." Larkon commented as he scratched his arms.

"I see what you mean now by focusing on looking good. Maybe if we please him very well, we maybe able to fight for our freedom allot sooner than we thought." Urak smirked a little.

"I need it to be earlier, I still have business against my own General." Larkon said as he continued on to the kitchen to be followed by them.

"Really, what kind of business?" Urak asked.

"Unfinished business." Larkon answered bluntly. "How about you three? What will you do after this? And If what you said is true Arseah, that you were abused way back, while here get you somewhere?"

"I...I do not know yet." She answered softly as they arrived at the kitchen.

"I will return to my homeland to continue my work as a herbal healer. The warriors currently fighting for the safety of my people and others need as many healers to supply them with as much herbs they can get." Seleara answered.

Rachel remained quiet as she didn't answer or say anything. She just stared down at the table that she just took a seat at, keeping mostly to herself.

"Hey Rachel? Rachel Right?" Larkon asked.

Rachel raised her head towards Larkon.

"Don't get quiet, I don't know what happened to you or who you are but trust me you need to open yourself up to other people. Right now, I look like I'm calm, but I'm nervous and scared to what will happen next. Open up, talk to people, I guess you need it because it seems like out of all of us, you got the worst of it. And a little talk could help especially in these kind of situations." Larkon suggested to her as he looked down on her, his voice was sincere to the point that it surprised the others.

She noded softly before answering "I'll try…" just as softly as she noded.

He smiled at her and gently patted her head softly, which made her blush a little. "There you go." He said as as he moved up to the kitchen table which now filled with food and drinkable water. The others soon joined and took their seats at the kitchen table as they all sat and waited.

Urak looked at them and spoke. "We got to do what the master says, please him, because I want to get out of here, and pleasing him is the safest way to do it."

"I second that." Larkon agreed.

"Third." Arseah agreed.

"Fourth." Rachel suddenly spoke quietly which made everyone turn to look at her a little in surprise.

"I thought I was going to be fourth." Seleara tried joking a little. "Um anyrate, fifth."

Larkon looked at her and sternly said. "There's no smiles yet...trust me, I was in a similar situation when I was a kid."

"True like you said we got to open up more and talk to other people. And every now and then throw in a small joke for a smile. Other wise our real emotions will consume us and well, you can get an idea of where I'm going right?" she asked.

"She has a point Larkon. If we let our true feelings consume us, it will be our downfall before we even begin to earn our freedom. So what's a small joke every now and then to open up to others going to hurt. We'll be needing this alot, especially Rachel here who's trying to open up." Urak mentioned as Rachel quietly noded in agreement.

Larkon just nodded in reluctant agreement as he just puts his face up to the plate and began eating. Arseah was the first to notice Larkon's metal necklace on his neck that had the name 'Jorden' She looked at him in a guess to try and mix things up with someone she barely knew. "Hey Larkon, is Jorden your last name?" She asked.

"Huh?" Larkon asked after drinking some water to wash some food down. He looked at the necklace and sighed seeing what she meant. "Oh...no I don't...have a last name. This, well it's one of those long sad don't want to talk about stories. But its….my captain, back when I was fighting."

"Oh….I'm sorry if I asked." She said to him apologetically.

"It's okay…" he nodded to her and continued eating his food while the others did the same.

About sometime shortly later, their master Zan came into the kitchen accompanied by two of his bodyguards, one being a troll and another being a Worgen. Nevertheless he motioned them to stand guard at the door as he walked over to the table the five were sitting at and took a seat.

"I take everyone is recovering slowly?" he asked as he poured himself a glass of water.

"It was enough…." Larkon answered.

He nodded and took a small sip of water. "I'm the type of man who likes to get to know who he's going to be hanging with for an unknown amount of time. So if you wish, feel free to tell me a little bit about yourselves and what each of you used to do before ending up under my care." he asked calmly.

The five looked at each other in confusion a little before looking back at him. He motioned for them to proceed so Urak began first in introducing himself.

"I am Urak Doomfang of the Frostwolf clan. A personal honor guard Blademaster to the Warchief Thrall himself who I am forever loyal to in protecting the new Horde." Urak answered.

"I knew the buy was good!" Zanis exclaimed happily. "So I take it you plan on getting back to your clan as fast as possible?"

"Yes sir." Urak answered.

"That's good, I like that form of determination, let it serve you well and never let it fail you in your desire to reach that goal." Zanis looks over to Seleera and motions for her to go next.

"I'm a herbalist…..it is my desire to return home, if it takes serving here then I will." She told him

"I see, interesting, a simple yet strong goal to thrive for, not bad, not bad." He then looked towards Arseah next. "You may go next if you wish lovely maiden."

"I was a former low class maid working for a noble." She answered.

Zan looked at her a little before ask. "Do you have a goal in mind by chance?"

She shooks her head. "I was...I was left behind by my own family when I had the chance to fend for myself, like most low class Blood Elves." She said, which Larkon turned his head and nodded in respect to her plight.

"Hmmm, so you don't have much of a goal you seek to accomplish right?" he asked her softly.

"Let her get ready, she will have on the days end, I have took that path myself." Larkon spoke for her. Into which Arseah smiled for what he did.

"Good point." Zan then looks towards Rachel who shyly looks away.

"Judging from your reaction I take you don't talk much do you my dear?" Zan asked Rachel.

"No sir…" Rachel answered softly and shyly.

He twirled his drink a little. "Fair enough, I already can tell what goal your desire lays to." He then finally turns to Larkon and asked. "And now we finally come to you." He gestured him to stand up, into which he did, looking over as he stood tall, taller than him. "You speak for the Elf girl, now speak for yourself. I want to know what you are slave."

"Unfinished business." He answered him.

Zan raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't tell me much other than what your goal is. Tell me a little bit about yourself and if I may, what kind of unfinished business?"

Larkon felt the tag of metal of his necklace dangling down his neck as he looked at his master, narrowing his eyes to a full frontal look. Looking down to see a sense of sincerity, curiosity in which developed to crucial understanding on what was to come on his determination. He put his hand on his necklace tag, and removed it from his neck and showed it to him, seeing the name if his once former captain.

"Unfinished business" He repeated.

Zan looked at the dog tag and back at him. "I see, so you're one of those type of men. I see...I think I've made a wise choice in deep picking you…" he smirked a little and nodded to him before taking a sip of water. "Now I assume you are all wondering why I wish to know about you all, especially your goals correct."

The five noded in the answer yes to their master.

"It's simple, goals my new friends, are the driving point of everyone's lives. They are what allow us to endure the worst kinds of hells and push through any and every obstacle that stands in their way. I was once a Spellbreaker warrior that was captured and forced to become a slave just like you all are now. My goal at the time was to earn my freedom no matter the cost. And it was that goal that guided and pushed me through even the most impossible of odds. And it was what allowed me to eventually earn my freedom. With my freedom I discovered a new goal, to help others who had suffered my fate earn their freedom. It was that new goal that lead me to become a merchant, to learn the ways of trading, crafting, buying, and selling. Eventually growing in power to reach what you see before you and allow me to become powerful enough to be a slaver. And with this new power I now use this power to purchase slaves who were just like me and through my guidance, help them earn their freedom and then decide what choices of goals they want from there." he told them. He was silent for the next few moments before narrowing his brows. "But…..just because I am what I am, it doesn't mean I will treat you luxuriously. Because like how I once served as a slave, do good and you will be rewarded greatly, do bad and you will be punished."

The five noded their heads in yes to answer him.

"Good, the reason why is because in order for me to continue my goal to help others, I have to make the money necessary to purchase them from the others I have purchased, does this make sense?" he asked them.

"Make sense that I will kill to survive." Larkon said.

"Exactly, the truth my friends, is that the reality of this world is beyond cruel and no man and no god can ever change that. The only thing we can do to do good, is sometimes stoop to their laws and ways and hope you can do as much as you can. Even if it means you are also doing what is wrong in the process." he spoke next.

"The women, what will they do? Strip? My goal is clear, kill, make money and then set home free." Larkon commented.

"And my goal is the same but return to the battle of the dark portal." Urak answered.

Zan nodded and took another sip of water. "The women will have their own tasks to try and reach their goals as you two have your own." he answered before gesturing to follow "Now follow. I want to see for myself."

The five stood up from their seats and followed Zan to where ever he was heading. He walked through more of the mansion which allowed the five to see more of it as he led them through it. Eventually he brought them outside to his backyard where a small makeshift arena was held.

"Guards. Strip your armor and remain to your clothes." He said and into which the guards did.

Larkon and Urak looked at each other a little in confusion before looking back at the guards as they finished taking their armors off.

"Fight them in hand to hand combat, you first Orc." Zan said.

Urak nodded and took his Horde Tabbard off to get shirtless and stretch and pop his exceptionally sculpted and well-defined musculature powerful body. He walked into the arena to come face to face with a guard of his own race, facing eye to, just as massive as he is.

"Begin." Zan announced.

Urak immediately charged through the arena with no self-regard and immediately ducks below the beltline of the other orc guard and holds him on to the waist. He lifted the orc guard out from the ground and slammed him hard, crashing his back to the ground. He clasped both hands into a fist and goes to try and smash the orc guard. The orc guard quickly kicked Urak at the legs to knock him back and get back up. Urak quickly recovered and blocks a powerful punch from the Orc guard. From there Urak headbutted the orc guard in the nose and follows up with a a uppercut punch to the stomach, followed by a few cross hooks to the orc guard's face before doing a front kick to knock the Orc guard to the ground.

The Orc guard looked up and spat some blood out of his mouth and got back up. From there the two charged at each other with fierce ferocity and tackled one another into a grappling position. From there the two muscled power orcs struggled to get a better grab on the other as they both used their tremendous powerful strength to try and out muscle the other.

"Stop." Zanis stopped. "Had enough, the human next."

The two orcs let each other go and shook hands in respect before stepping out of the arena. Larkon entered into the arena after Urak stepped out and walked over to the center to come face to face with his opponent who was a human, just like him that appeared to be slightly taller.

Just like Urak, Larkon tried to tackle down, but was met with a fierce resistance to his tackle as he was still standing up, their arms were coiling around each other, rendering their hands useless to throw punches. Larkon was able to push his opponent against the wall and started wrestling, fighting their arms to get free.

Zanis was unimpressed as he looked at the fight between the two. His lips was curled to a frown as he looked at them, shaking his head in dissatisfaction. The two were determined as Larkon was able to free his left hand from his opponent, and was starting to punch on his stomach, though it didn't harbored any power.

Zanis looked and waited, yet it didn't impress him to the way he thought as he waited a full minute only to receive nothing but short punches of the body, a little block of the arm. He was about to wave the fight off till something happened.

Larkon powered a left cross down the pipe of his opponents cheek, followed by brutal uppercuts from the same hand. It was enough the buckle the knees of his opponent but was not enough to clearly best him as he was covering up while trying to get back up. The towns guard brought his anger in as both of his arms were freed and begin hammering down the side of his head with both arms till his opponent collapse.

"Stop." Zanis exclaimed, smiling.

Larkon stopped as soon as Zan spoke the words and looked towards his master while two guards came rushing in to take the knocked out heavily injured guard away to receive medical treatment.

"Hgnh, hngnh, hngnh." Larkon was breathing heavily as he tried to take his breath back. He stood there, watching Zanis walk towards him, before meeting up eye to eye. Zanis pats his back and just spoke his words.

"That was beautiful."

Larkon just continued to breathe heavily trying to recover his breath as he wiped some heavy sweat off his forehead. 'What now?" He asked.

"Now I think you two deserve a little company for your hard work." he looked towards the ladies and motioned for them.

The ladies looked a little shock at first but realized what he was getting at. The three took a step forward and got in line.

Urak was the first to speak though. "If it's alright with you master, I would prefer to stay loyal to my mate and not recieve the company." Urak requested respectfully.

"Gladly." Zanis nodded in respect to him. He then looked towards Larkon and asked. "You?"

"Whatever rewards you'll spurn me with." He told him.

"Fair enough." he answered as he took a step back. "So since Urak has turned his down, would you want to take one, two, or all three?"

"Like I stated, whatever rewards you'll spurn me with." he repeated.

Zanis noded and walked back to the three females and observed each one closely a little before softly taking Arseah's hand and gently bringing her over to Larkon. "Since you two seem to be good friends already, maybe some company with a friend would do you both good." he answered before handing her hand over to Larkon's. "It will be a test for you, little slave, a test on how you do." He commented.

She noded as she knew what she had to do for her test like how Larkon and Urak had with their test. A pang of intense nervousness hit her, but she kept her composure, her years of abuse from hands of so called nobles from her own people kept her up.

Zanis nodded as he called the other guards to escort them. "Escort the four three to the basement, while escort these love birds to a fine room." He ordered, before adding. "And call the kitchen handlers to bring wine and a hot towel for them, I want to make sure the reward would be just."

"Yes sir." the guards answered as they escorted Urak, Seleara, and Rachel somewhere while another guard escorted Larkon and Arseah to another area.

The guards lead them down the large halls, seeing the array of beauty around the mansion, but the two just put their attention to wherever they would be with as their steps came in to a stop. "This is the place." One of the guards said as he opened the door.

It was a medium sized room, but sure enough it was clearly a room for those who are rewarded. Scented candles surround the room in each corners as a soft and large bed stood at the middle, as clean smooth cloth of its sheet covered the soft cushion. A table stall was standing at the edge of the left corner, clearly as rest for the wine to stand. Larkon just immediately entered with nothing on his mind, yet Arseah was hesitant as she looked inside the room. After taking a small breath she entered the room slowly as the guard shut the door behind her, leaving the two alone in the room to just themselves.

Larkon sat down at the edge of the bed as he looked at her, but then it turned back to the attention of his shoulder. While the wound has completely healed, he also sprained it due the intense exertion of his muscles during his fight. He rolled it side to side, groaning in pain.

Arseah hesitated at first before finally walking over to him and taking a seat on the bed with him. She sighed sadly and slowly started taking off the ragged clothes that did little to hide what she needed to keep covered. She was used to this kind of degrading actions back when she worked for the nobles of her people. Stripping for their own enjoyment and for her own sake of living.

"You don't have to do that." Larkon suddenly said when he slightly turned his head to his left and takes notice.

She looked towards him a little shocked and confused. Usually it was the first and only thing most men wanted out of her in situations like this. So for him to tell her she didn't have to confused her as she didn't expect that or was she prepared to do next.

"Keep your clothes and dignity on, don't degrade yourself." He told her.

She stared at him for a small moment before putting back on what little she almost took off. When she finished she turned back to look towards him as he just laid there in bed. She immediately turned her head at the door when it suddenly sprang open, and servants consisting of a female troll and a female orc suddenly came in bringing a bottle of wine with glass cups and a hot towels and puts it at the table in the corner. When they finished they immediately turned, closing the door and went outside.

Larkon stood up, and just immediately covered himself on one of the hot towels, while opening the wine and pouring himself a cup. Arseah soon did the same covering herself with a hot towel and taking a seat in front of Larkon at the table while pouring herself a cup of wine.

"Why?" She suddenly asked.

Larkon grinned. "Why? I don't like it without consent, you being forced doesn't count as a consent." He answer as he took a sip.

She was silent for a moment as she took a small sip of wine. "So if that's not what you want, then what do you want?"

"Relax, take a deep breath while enjoying the wine. A small blood elf girl beneath my large frame doesn't give off a positive aura."

She raised a brow just lightly and just remained silent as she looked at her reflection through the wine in the glass.

"You're not like most Blood Elves Arseah. You don't whine, you're not xenophobic, but kind and heartwarming general from what I have seen just recently from the day. Why are you different?" He stated along with a question.

She sighed and stayed silent for a short moment before answering. "I don't want to be one of them. One of the very people who treated me like some object instead of a person."

Larkon didn't respond to her comment but rather he proceed to roll his shoulder joint in effort to relieve the sharp pain on his shoulder caused by a sprain. Arseah look and narrowed her brow. "Do you need help?" She asked.

"I guess, sure go ahead." he sighed and stopped moving his shoulder to let her see what she could do.

She moved to his side and puts both of her hands on his shoulder. Arseah notice everything about his anatomy is physically large, his arms were bulging, and his back was well shaped in muscle, his neck covered with the same. She also noticed all the scars, cuts, bruises, and grazes that were obviously present all over his body. Nonetheless she puts pressure on his shoulder on to try and help him but Larkon only groaned in pain.

"Did that hurt?" she asked.

"Yeah but I've been through worse, you can continue if you like." he answered.

Arseah nodded and proceeded, but when she noticed the large gash on his shoulder she stopped and asked. "It's festering...the wound. Would you like me to clean you?"

"Clean me in what way?" he asked now turning his head to look towards her.

"Clean you with the hot towel, dirt is all over your wound and your body." She said, removing the towel from her and offering it in her hand.

He nodded in agreement and lets her proceed to clean all the dirt off him and his festering wound. "Thank you for helping." Larkon said as he let her wash off the dried dirt and sweat that was surrounding his wound. He just sighed in relief when the towel came in contact with his festering wound, stinging in pain at first but relaxed when she gently twirled it around.

"I'm used to these situations." She responded, as she proceeded down to his back.

"I see…" he answered as he just relaxed and let her continue.

Larkon only needs a few moments of her rubbing down on his back before requested her to stop. "It is enough Arseah, you can stop now."

She stopped what she was doing but did ask, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, and if you want you can sleep on the bed, I'll just sit here. I need to ponder some thoughts." Larkon answered softly, bringing his hand over his hair, combing it over.

"Okay but before I do, I want to ask. Why are you different? You're not like most people I've encountered." She asked.

Larkon didn't look at her as he answered. "I guess it's because I know not everyone in the world is as evil as the people you've dealt with all your life. So I guess I wanted to show you the same proof I've seen myself."

She looked at him for a moment before finally laying down on the bed to get the sleep she'll be needing. She laid her head on to the soft cushion, but she bend her head to look at Larkon, seeing that he was just sitting, motionless as she laid there as she stared. A small smile escapes her lips as she looked on for a few moments. For the first time in her life there was an exception for being an object where people would force themselves on her, as this was different. Someone actually denied her and ask to keep her dignity.

"I knew it was true." She told herself in the form of a whisper as she finally laid her head and close her eyes.

Larkon true to his promise, just sat there staring at Jorden's dog tags, pondering in his thoughts for the rest of the night. He looked down on it, as a deep frown was imprinted on his lips, with a sheer narrowed brow to his hovering eyes. He sighed as he gripped the dog tag on to his palm, looking at the events ahead to whatever degree he would do against it. Nonetheless he released his hand and let the necklace hang down his neck.

"I'll be coming home captain. I just need time."


	16. Progress Inside

She sought through the cushion, thumping herself more than often as she twirled around, trying to spin in an unconventional manner. A draenei of young age, a toddler of six, smiling, singing with abandon with her small adorable voice. She had pale blue skin, luminescent blue glowing eyes like some of her race and short chin length white hair. Her arms was flapping up and down and as she spun around in the small living room and then falling to the soft cushion of the sofa that was just right beside her.

"Thumph! Oahoah!" She puffed as she falls down once more. "Ehehee, dancing is hard. I like dancing, but it's hard." The small draenei told herself as she lifted up back to her hooves once more and began twirling and spinning. "Lalalalalala!" She sang in abandon as she twirled.

A large slim yet very muscular draenei with the same white hair and skin color came in through the door, and saw the child spin around and sang. It brought a tugging smile to his lips as he looked at the adorable child before him. He approached and scoop her up in his arms and playfully spin himself around as the child smiled and squealed happily.

"Ehehehe daddy stop!" She playfully pleaded through her laughter as she repeatedly smack his nose in an effort to make him stop.

He stopped and just quickly ask a playful question. "Alright Alura, what were you doing spinning around with your arms flapping and all while singing?"

"I'm trying to dance! Mommy says that a good girl should know how to dance and I want to be a good girl!" She answered happily to him.

Joven playfully smiled as he responded. "Mommy is very right but there's more to dance than dancing like that if you want to be a good girl like mommy says."

"Oooooh! Really daddy?!" She puts her hands on the air due to excitement.

Joven gently flicks her nose, earning a giggle from her. "Of course!" He answered.

"Can you teach me daddy?! Please!" she begged in such an adorable manner that he just couldn't say no to such a beautiful cute face that looked so much like her mother's to him.

"Oh? You want me to teach you?" He teased.

"Yes daddy! Please, please, please!" She kept on repeating.

He smiled and concede. "Alright then." He gently placed her down on the floor. He offered both of his hands to her. "Take both of my hands Alura." He instructed.

She looked up towards him as he easily towered over her. Still she smiled happily and took his hands which were large compared to her tiny ones.

"Now move with me." He told her as he began moving. They both were moving along fine, as Alura kept on exclaiming her excitement.

"Yay! Yay! I'm dancing!"

He smiled down towards her lovingly as they danced for some long time. When they finished, he picked her back up and hugged her close. She in return hugged him back as tightly as her soft tiny little arms could reach the muscular frame of his size compared to her.

"That you are my special, special little good girl." he whispered softly to her.

* * *

Alura woke up from her dream as she felt the cart hitting a few bumps along the way. She sat up and looked around to see the others were already up. She noticed the area along was starting to be more desolate as they travelled along the way, starting to concern on unknown dangers lying ahead. Still safety in the numbers is what she had in mind as she looked around, still seeing the large numbers of adventurers travelling with their own carts. Many were smiling, used to such adventures she would gladly come on to.

As she laid back at the cart her memory went back to the dream she had. The one about remembering one of the few moments her father spent time with her in her life. Back when his status as a Paladin didn't seem to force him away from his family as much as it does now. Back when she used to think he was the most amazing person in existence just like her mother.

"Oh Alura, you're awake. We are just nearing the blasted lands, we will arrive in midnight if we don't rest, or we will arrive tomorrow if we do rest along with the other adventurers." The voice of Kinar interrupted.

"I suggest we rest later because I don't know much the horses are going to have to put up with us, especially Thark." Finan mentioned.

"Aye Finan the horse don't mind me as much as they mind you when it's your turn to drive them." Thark shot back at Finan.

"We are at the red lands of the blasted young priestess." Quon said as he chewed at his grass pick.

"You can say that again." Finan groaned. "I was just a month away from retiring, just one month away. Was a little peace all I could ask for until then. Nope. I once again get dragged into something else I got to risk my life for the I lost count how many times in doing a favor in which I hope will be worth all the trouble and pray that I don't get shot as a result of being next to a mad gun trotting jinxed old Dwarf with anger issues as big as his beard his short."

Alura ignored their complaints and their nonsensical argument as she began a conversation with Kinar. "I'm a bit bothered. The dreams and memories." She told her.

"What kind of dreams and memories are they from?" Kinar asked.

"It doesn't matter." She responded, slightly rubbing her palm to her forehead. Alura looked on and sees the land becoming redder as the crevice of the rocks were emitting small strokes of smoke.

"Are they of your family, friends, or Larkon?" Kinar asked gently.

"Somewhat...somewhat of family." She answered.

Kinar nodded. "I know what you mean, I'm the same way with my family."

"Don't worry Kinar, Generals sat behind a tent while men of low ranks fight." She assured.

"Well you know my father, always the one to want to be the first one in the front lines charging in without a care in the world for his life." Kinar sighed. "Your lucky Alura… Your father actually tries to rebuild his relationship with you and takes every opportunity to do so. Mine...well, mine I don't even see anymore and only keep contact with letters which I get fewer and fewer each year. Most times my brother has to fill in his shoes to keep contact with me over because my father is currently busy with whatever excuse."

"Men of bravery will go down in fight. Like the men here I am reading hold off a hundred on a bridge with a mystical axe to help him." Quon told. "Quite a story and such bravery that I for one admit a feat that I could not do."

Kinar sighed as she wrapped her arms around her knees. "I know but sometimes I just wish I had a father instead of one of bravery."

Quon sighed and explained. "Look young one, there are times that they would do it out from their own will. Like here in the personal explanation from a wife whose loved one who went on to hold off the bridge alone against a cult of warriors outnumbering him to the hundreds. She was bearing children, and he left her to do for the sake of it." He said.

Kinar sighed as she didn't say anything. Around that time the cart came to a complete stop.

"Aw crap…" everyone heard Thark suddenly say.

"What?" Alura asked as everyone looked up ahead to see a large military post blockade set up a far distance. From the looks of it, the military from both the Horde and the Alliance had it stationed to do inspections on the travelers that come before allowing them to enter.

"Ah crap is right in deed. Once they figure who we are they're not gonna let us through." Kinar mentioned.

"Anyone got any ideas?" Alura asked.

"Aye lass I am out of ideas. Because this be what I used to do work at and we didn't let any who we were told to keep out in." Thark answered.

They looked at Quon who shewed his piece of grass slightly. "This presents a problem."

Finan sighed as he stood up. "Fine, looks like I'm going to have to save the day." he groaned

The gnome immediately set up the cart as Thark scoot away and let him drive through the military Garrison.

The Garrison was racially mixed as the entrance camp was guarded by two races of the most heated rivalry, an Orc and a Human, but they seemed they had no complaints as they had kept their hands off of each others faces, just looking ahead at the adventurers, inspecting them from time to time.

"Racially mixed." Alura commented.

"In wars like these lassy, barriers fer race are cast aside." Thark said to her.

Around sometime later, eventually it came to their turn to be inspected as their cart arrived at the garrison.

"Name and business." the human guard asked them. He was quite intimidating due to his tall stature, his abdomen was able to match the height of the cart, as his lips was formed to a scowl while his brow narrowed to strong look.

"Finan Wobblespindle, a royal mage in service to the royal family of Stormwind. I've been requested by His Royal Highness Anduin Wrynn, Prince of Stormwind to bring special herbs for him and the soldiers at the Dark Portal. I have his request ready and I need to speak with him regarding such matters." Finan told them as he handed them his papers confirming his business for coming.

The Orc guard took the papers and looked at them for a moment, he showed the human guard who took a look at the papers and noded. The two guards then look towards Finan's travel companions after handing him back his papers.

"And may we ask why the daughters of Paladin Joven and General Kodan are with you?" the Human asked taking notice of Alura and Kinar respectively.

"These two are my assistance. They volunteered to help with my research regarding the Prince's request. Kinar is a Druid and has proven herself very useful and helpful in assisting me in my work. Alura also has great knowledge in healing and her advice is also very welcome. As such they have my permission to come with me." Finan told them.

The Orc and Human guard looked at the two priestess as they nodded their heads in agreement while smiling nervously.

"I don't know I mean we've been ordered to keep those of important status unable to fight away for their personal safety." the human guard said.

"And that is why I have these other two with me." Finan motioned for Thark and Quon.

"And who are they?" the Orc asked.

"Our hired bodyguards." Finan answered.

"Are they powerful warriors?" the Orc guard asked.

"Lad I've been experienced in my kind of work long before you even knew how to walk on ye feet." Thark answered.

The human guard chuckled a little which made the Orc guard give him a look before the two guards looked back at Quon. "What about the Pandaren? The human guard asked.

Quon untied the wrapped bandages on one of his palm to show them an old coin shaped burn scar on his palm that had a Tiger's face on it. "I am a former member of the Shado-Pan of the Blackguard discipline branch. I have since retired and now serve as a Loremaster coming here to write history along with them."

The two guards looked at each other, then looked back at the group. "I guess the two are in safe hands." the human guard said as he and the Orc guard stepped aside for their cart to pass. "You may proceed." the Orc Guard said to them.

The group noded to the guards in thanks before the horses started moving and went through the garrison. Quon wrapped the bandages back on his palm and sat back down at the cart. "I see that those two will get in a brawl in the mean future. YEEESS! My favorite fights Human and Orcs!" Quon exclaimed.

"You were a member of the Shado-Pan?" Alura asked.

"Aye I knew they be something about ye Monk." Thark explained.

"Yes I was, I served throughout my life in Pandaria till the opportunity to explore other worlds have come!" Quon answered as they strolled through out the large garrison.

"I didn't know they could retire." Kinar mentioned.

"A Shado-Pan is not a job young one, it is just a mark of brotherhood. I am a Shado-Pan now, but now in my later life I have journeyed rather than stay to one place." He told her.

Alura noded and turned to Finan who was still taking charge of the cart for Thark at the moment.

"Thank you Finan, for doing that for us."

Finan sighed. "I hope when we get there, my little lie will be enough to get us through this. Because I am now officially taking a risk bringing you and Kinar here as my assistance. Due to the status of your importance to two of this war's most major officials."

"Trust me, my status as his daughter will serve us well. I had the right to see him in grave matters whenever suite." Alura assured as the were starting to near, though the entire bottom half of the land mass of the Blasted was covered by the army of the Horde and the Alliance, the garrison was mostly spread throughout, still needing a far journey ahead towards the Dark Portal.

"If you needed your father's help to get young Larkon out of the mess he's in why did you send a message requesting to have Larkon return home?" Finan asked.

"He was already ported, and I was too late to inform him about it." Alura regretfully answered.

"True but you could still have been able to send messages to your father. Are they not being reached to him or something?"

"Aye Finan, they be not. That little bastard Moira had been seeing to that." Thark answered.

"Moira?" FInan asked.

"Some Alliance general name Moira ordered that all letters that could distract or harm the war effort were to be burned on sight. So that's why none of Alura's letters have been able to reach her father and I'm pretty sure why a good number of soldiers haven't gotten any letters as well." Kinar answered.

Finan looked at Kinar a little confused before looking back at Thark. "Is that even legal for him to do that?"

"Aye we can do nothing fer that. The court will still get their pockets full from Moira." Thark commented.

"It can't be that simple for them. I know for a fact King Varian would have a zero bullshit tolerance for that kind of scheme." Finan mentioned.

"If we had proof which we don't. And what could the king do, from what I'm hearing from Thark this Moira has been doing some awful stuff ever since he became general and has been getting away with everything he does." Kinar sighed.

"Aye ferget that lass. What I just want ye to do fer yerself is stay away from Moira, you do not want to make that man have an eye on anyone. I'm looking at you Alura." Thark said, pointing his attention to the draenei priestess.

"Me?" she asked.

"Aye yes you lass, if Moira have a feud with the young lad and his captain you will get on it if ye interfere whatever Moira have in store fer those two. Likewise lass, you don't want him to be made angry in whatever reason, if you have met him which I hope you do not by the Bronzebeards." Thark warned her.

"But Thark, I have met him…" she sighed.

The old dwarf turned in surprise. "Beg your pardon lass? You've met the bastard?" He asked in surprised manner.

"It was at that party held at the Stormwind Keep where I first met Larkon. I accidently bumped into him without looking. He turned around with an angry scowl on his face but as soon as he saw me he smiled and started going on about how special he was and his achievements. No different than any other nobles I talked to."

Thark almost coughed his lungs off as she told him.

"Why do I have a feeling you know this Moira in a not so friendly way?" Finan commented.

"Youy, Moira is the kind of man who gets fed with a silver spoon onto the boots of his bum. Moira gets what he wants, and by my beard making an enemy out of him would be a death wish." Thark said, before looking to Alura with concern. "And lass did anything, related to that bastard have bothered you?"

"Well, I didn't like how he just kept on talking about how important status like the ones he and I had. Saying people would kill for honors and privileges we had. And when I told him off of all his achievements he had the nerve to yank me by the arm with a very tight grip to try and tell me different. If it wasn't for my father showing up I think it would've gotten worse." Alura answered.

Thark immediately huddled in an answer. "Lass, whatever you do, stay away from that man. That man has a special place in hell fer the things he had done. This is what I can only say fer what I heard."

"I know Thark I know, I want to avoid him as much as possible. It's just, I don't know what his problem with Larkon and Jorden could be. Why he would just randomly send them on the front lines as expendable squadron just to hold the grounds to somewhere he thinks is important." Alura answered. "I mean I already know he doesn't seem to like Larkon one bit. Back during the party, Larkon came up to whisper something to him and lead him somewhere. And the next time I saw Moira he was beyond furious and he had Larkon whipped the next day."

"And the bastard almost whipped the young lad to death fer whatever reasons." Thark angrily added, as Alura gestures her concern. "Aye, I pray wherever they are, Jorden and his men would be alright."

"I hope so too." Alura softly mentioned as she laid back at the cart as it continued it journey further into the blasted lands.

* * *

Blood and burnt flesh set the tone of the night sky. The ash of the land surrounds them as robed cultist lay on the ground, some were dead through the cold blade, and some were dead through the fires of the fel. The burned mountain where the dead burnt trees lay made home for cultist and their plans to set, but was tracked by the group. Smiles and laughs erupted as the warlock and his demons carried the bodies and put them aside.

The Twilight Hammer cultists didn't stand a chance against the much more powerful Warlock. Their cave just lied at the at the north side of Felwood were none would bother them. Nonetheless the Warlock tracked them down and slaughtered in search for the artifact buried deep within their cave that was hidden unknown even to them. With nothing else to put up as the demons lay the bodies aside, Kreus kneeled down and places five purple diamond sigils on the ground, forming a pentagonal alignment.

Just as before, the diamond sigils floated on to the air and began spinning, splitting up, forming a wide margin of distance from each other. Purple light, like a mirror began to illuminate on the sigils, engulfing the whole. Armored steps from a Death Knight covered in a hood began to clap and echoed in the cave as he stepped in.

"This is the place?" Lazarus asked as a figure also came from the portal, his green glowing eyes were covered in a blindfold but were still visible even through the blindfold, carrying twin warglaives on his back.

"Yep. The Artifact is somewhere deep within these caves under the The Twilight Hammer's own noses and they didn't even know about it." Kreus answered.

"Or did they?" Lazarus suddenly spoke.

"What do you mean?" Kreus asked.

Lazarus stood there deep in thought for a moment as he looked at all the dead bodies of the cult members Kreus killed.

"My Lord?" the Warlock asked.

The Death Knight seemed to snap out of his trance. "It's nothing, I'm going to go look for the artifact, you and Daken guard the area and don't let anyone enter or leave."

"My demons will Illuminate ahead, it lies just beyond." Kreus said as his succubi walked beside the Death Knight, forming a fire unto her hands.

"Excellent." Lazarus thanked Kreus as he followed the Succubi down the pitch black tunnel ahead.

"My Lord, I feel a twirl of magical surge encased in a small casket." The succubi said to Lazarus as she lead the way in, and in response the Death Knight smiled under his metal helmet and hood. Cackling along with the sound of his bones cracking in satisfaction, that even the succubi let out a narrow brow as her spine felt the cold chill of his aura.

"Show me." Lazarus ordered calmly.

The succubi nodded and let her eyes glow as the fire in her hand spread throughout the inner walls of the cave, showing a small casket on an altar. "That there my Lord."

She gasped a little in fear and surprise when she felt an ice cold metal clawed hand pat her on the shoulder. "Thank you." Lazarus told her as he walked up towards the casket.

Lazarus kneeled down on one knee, observing the casket for a moment and rubbed the dust from the nameplate. The nameplate had no name onto it. He then stood up, drew his runesword from his back and performed a quick slash to slice the casket open. He placed his runesword back on his back as he reached a metal clawed hand into the casket to yank a small chest out of the hands of an extremely old human corpse.

"I wonder, did the Twilight Hammer have a hand to play in keeping it locked away from the world. Or they just chose to make a base here not knowing what was buried deep within?"

"It is a casket where they replenish their energy. I have seen others during my time when I was in the Twisting Nether." The succubus commented.

"Hmmm, strange it is to me. Still it makes no difference if they were involved in this somehow or not." Lazarus spoke as he looked at the small chest.

Short steps came from behind as the two caught up with them. Kreus observed the recently discovered casket and comments. "So a casket."

Lazarus tossed the small chest to Kreus which he catches. "We have what we need, we're done here."

"I think not." the group suddenly heard a voice echo around them as more members of the Twilight Hammer soon stepped out of the shadows to reveal themselves.

"Kreus, summon me a portal…...and...kill them." The Death Knight requested.

"Not so fast Death Knight. Long has this been our personal headquarters. But never have we knew that such an artifact existed within untill now. You're going to tell us what it is and how it may serve us." the lead twilight hammer member who was a human warlock ordered.

The Death Knight suddenly cackled and cracked the bones of his cheeks as he formed a very wide and eery fanged teeth smile that was fortunately covered by his metal mask. He turned around and offered them. "Follow me, and If you help me succeed, all the artifacts I have a massed will be yours. And they will serve you greatly if the lust of power is what you desire. And I assume worshiping a dead god would no longer suffice for all of you." He said.

"Look who thinks he's the almighty Lich King." the human warlock leader laughed as the others laughed alongside him. "You are-" The insulting warlock was cut off as bolts of frost impaled his throat, gurgling in blood as life seeped away from his eyes.

"Now, any more comments?"

The cult members all looked at the dead body of their leader as the blood from the ice shard logged into his throat poured a heavy small pool of crimson blood all over the floor. They looked back at the Death Knight who just stood their calmly waiting patiently on their response.

"Now, create the portal Kreus."

"As you wish." Kreus acknowledge as he started using his fel magic to create a portal for them.

"So, what is your answer to my offer?" Lazarus asked them once more while Kreus continued to form the portal.

They only need to followed him as the portal formed while the Death Knight leads.

* * *

Kor stood in a crouched position on top of the roof of the Cathedral of Light. The thick gust of wind of the night air blew heavily as he sneaked around to try and find a place to sneak inside. It was in the same open air vent at the top of the roof that made him make way his way down to the library. He immediately take a cloth on his hand and takes out a bottle of chemical.

"Now, dem beautiful draenei will be a sleeping beauty when she be smellin me perfume." Kor said as he dip the liquid onto the cloth.

When he finished putting the chemical in the cloth, he carefully wraps it on and made way to Alura's room. "Now, we be seein them white hair."

He placed a hand on the door knob, feeling it locked tight. Letting go he pulled out his lock picking tools and started picking the lock slowly and as quietly as he can. He only needed a few moments to find out that the room was empty. "Ah be no-" A sound of the other priestesses immediately came to his ears and, with his quick thinking he meld into the shadows from unwanting eyes.

"The High Priestess said that Alura and Kinar are excused from the church to volunteer for the current war." One of the priestess said to the other.

"That's very brave of them. Where exactly would they be heading towards what will they be doing?" the other Priestess asked.

"The reason was because Alura and Kinar are friends with the squadron of the Captain named Jorden, and she would want to assist them, such heart from a worgen and a draenei." The priestess answered with a comment.

"Do they know exactly where this Jorden's squad is stationed at?"

"I don't think they do. Still they're on their way right now to the Dark Portal to help find their friends and do what they can in the war effort. May the Light Guide and watch over them and keep them safe."

The hidden troll smiled as the answers came exactly where he needed it. He slowly used his stealth as a rogue to slip past the priestesses and made his way out from the Church. It took some time for him to reach the forests beyond the gate, but nonetheless he made it undetected. He took out the artifact that Kreus gave him and immediately placed it to the ground.

"Now, the Elfeh says I stomp it." Kor said to himself.

Kreus stomped on the artifact to see if what Kreus told him was true or not. His questions were answered the broken pieces of the artifact floated on the the air, forming a circular aline ment, spinning in revolution as the glow of the portal finally came.

"Fanceh voodoo." Kor commented as he stepped inside.

* * *

The two warriors set up to the first fight for their lives. They were already beside the arena as the weapons for Larkon and Urak was sprawled before them. Zanis was looking on as a crowd of adventurers, merchants, slave owners alike crowded the warriors with questions, speculations, predictions, anything related to the fight.

Larkon had just finished putting on his new set of armor. Now wearing black tunic with matching black fingerless gloves and matching black trousers. All tucked under old dark plate armor consisting of a cuirass, rerebraces, vambraces, greaves and sabatons. Over this he wore a tattered old knee length blue tabard and a baldric shoulder belt. Around his waist he wore a black sash fastened by a leather belt that carried four pouches and holster the scabbard carrying his two handed sword on his left side.

He looked over to Urak who still wore his usual outfit, but was now wearing some additions to it. Over his Horde tabard he wore a torn sleeveless red waistcoat with spikes down the front. Next he wore heavy plate armor, consisting of fur-trimmed studded vambraces, fur-trimmed studded greaves, a curved plate that covered his upper left shoulder, and a larger plate that covered his left bicep. With him, Urak carried a Two Handed twin bladed Axe with a small serrated blade at the end of the pommel.

Zanis all the while prepared the the large bets sprawled on the table. "Alright! Alright! Make bets, make bets! I have Fifteen-hundred pieces of gold to both of them surviving, while all their comrades get killed. Put it in!" He shouted at the crowd.

Larkon and Urak watched Zanis making the bets on them as they just sat and waited for them to be called to enter the arena.

"Well if we die on here. Let's see if we can learn a little more from the other so we don't die with curiosity." Larkon asked.

Urak smiled a little. "You proved a good point. There are somethings I am curious to know about you."

"Mutual feelings. So you said you had a mate right?"

"A mate and son yes." Urak answered.

"Put their lives on your sword and we both get home." Larkon said as the crowds become louder and louder.

"Fifteen to one stacked against my odds. Place it! That's fourteen thousand for all of your bets!" Zanis announced.

"They're dead…they were both killed in front of me long ago, and I was powerless to save them." Urak said to Larkon with a sad sigh as it mixed with the sound of the crows inside and outside the arena who was so eager to see blood and gore.

"Then think of the enemy as their murderers." Larkon suggested as two guards escorted them towards the arena, joining a group of gladiators of mixed races alongside with them. Ogre, orcs, humans, and elves were along side with them, in readiness to prepare for the final stall against what could be their final moments.

"I still have a family though, two children I adopted and took under my care sometime after my family was killed. I have raised them well but their fates concern me. I fight to see them again, my cause always for what is best for them." Urak said as he stood next with Larkon. "So Larkon, most humans I have encountered had last names, how come you don't?" He asked even through the thick cries of the crowd.

"Born as an unknown." He told him as the gates opened.

* * *

 **You readers are probably be like "Oh no! No updates for two weeks! It's just like his other stories where the updates gets slower and slower till he won't update at all! Like his other stories!"**

 **But don't worry, there is nothing to worry about. The story is basically finished, we already garnered finished chapters waiting to be posted, but only the agreed schedule would need to be met. Nothing should be concerned :)**

 **Basically I had to tell that to the five others whom I won't name demanding me to post chapters. But I get it, stories that doesn't get updated is frustrating and heart breaking, I've felt it myself. But nonetheless I assure you that this story is basically finished, and is just waiting for the right schedule time to be posted.**

 **Good luck to you guys! Don't forget to make a review about it, I'll appreciate it!**


	17. Fight for a Reward

The thunder grew louder as the crowd's eager anticipation became more intense. Comprising mixed in humans, ogres, orcs, elves, waited the gates to be opened as the enemies warriors could see the outline of their enemies on to the arena, already positioning themselves against the gate. They could see what they are facing, an ogre, and the feral troll tribes that lived inside the deep jungle in the Vale. Outnumbering them in a two to one ratio, proven to be that they were just fed to them.

Their eyes were calm, some were worried, and some was just eager to fight. Roars from their opponents can be heard as their weapons were raised up in the air for eager triumph and readiness for the inevitable. While those who remained taunted, roared, gritting their teeth as the loud cries surrounded the arena.

Their hands immediately were on their weapon, unsheathing it from the sword as the waiting opponents finally met their eyes. Narrowing their brows as they clenched their armored hand tightly around their weapons, looking over to the blood soaked arena, indicating a recent massacre. It did not deter it, but rather fueled their will to survive as their lungs sucked the air through their nose and let out a very deep grunt.

Finally the crowd yelled and roared in delight as the guards in the arena arrived to unlock the gates. The men behind it could hear the clamping sound of armored feet as they neared their inevitable. Armored hands wrapped around the pole of the metal gates, twisting the lever as the metal click echoed through the narrow breaches of the halls behind the gate.

The guards outside nodded their heads at each other as their hands pulled. Immediately, blood and adrenaline rushed through the veins of the men behind as they charged through the fray. Already a fellow companion was killed through as he went outside, as a spear came flying down to his throat, killing him instantly as the head of the spear decapitated the spine that held his head. The others made use of the demise of the recent companion as their heads and upper body were moving, bobbing and weaving from side to side, dodging whatever weapons that were thrown at them.

Their ogre companion charged with abandon as his club went crashing down on to the smaller troll. At first, the troll was able to dodge its strike, but assistance from Urak sealed its death as his axe came to its leg, followed by the ogre smashing the head of the troll, finally limped.

"Me thank you green skin." The ogre said.

Urak nodded and went on to the thicker things of the fray.

Larkon and his companion were having trouble as the ogres were smashing them left to right. Unable to fire back due to its large weapon, and unable to block its hit, only trying to dodge it, but proving to be difficult as the assistance of the trolls were bothering them.

His elven companion hurled a knife from his pocket, locating a vulnerable throat of the ogre. "NOW!" The blood elf yelled, using the small window of opportunity to mow their sword on the stomach, the legs, and he arms of the ogre. It didn't take long for the large beast to finally fall down as the wounds takes its toll.

Gurgling made their heads turn as their other human counterpart falls down with a spear though its throat. Spears began raining down as the trolls crumpled up together to form a thick wall of spears and arrows. The Gladiators immediately covered themselves up using the corpse of the recently dead ogre.

The crowd went wild in excitement as the battle becomes more tactical, rather than sloppy. Meanwhile the gladiators covered up from the dead ogre, but it still lost some of their companions as they tried to take shelter with them. Unending rain of arrows and spears proved to be enough to pin them down as they have nothing else to come out unless the trolls cease their assault. One of the braver gladiators tried to make his charge, but was only met with a series of arrows and spears penetrating his body, as he fell down to the ground with death in his eyes.

"Me smash you!" Their ogre companion roared at the side of the arena as he charged through the large flank of the trolls. The Orc of the Frostwolf Clan immediately followed as he jumped through the back of the ogre and crash himself down on the middle of the fray, killing the unlucky troll that met the blade of his axe.

The remaining gladiators who hid behind the corpse immediately charged when the assault of flying spears and arrows ceased. Majority of the crowd began to whine somewhat in disappointment as their hope of winning easy money by betting on the numbering trolls began to dwindle and dwindle as time passed by. Swords and spears contacted flesh while blood spurt from the veins of their skin. The gladiators fought bravely and fiercely as the momentum of the battle turned on to their side.

Still nonetheless it was not without cost as many more fell within the battle, both the trolls and the remaining gladiators alike as a river of blood stained the sandy breaches of the arena. The tide of battle reigned supreme as the lust of blood began to affect both sides. Their eyes were no longer within themselves but rather, it was fixated on blood and survival. Even a spear could not hold off the rampaging ogre as it landed on to the side of its shoulder. It only served to fuel its rage as it pounded on in fury against the feral trolls.

Urak sealed their survival as the end of his axe killed the last of their enemy. The crowd erupted in cheers as the battle was over. What remained of the gladiators now only comprised of a Human, an Orc, a Blood Elf, and an Ogre who was pulling out the spear that was lodge on his shoulder.

The four remaining gladiators just kept breathing deeply from both deep exhaustion from their efforts to survive and intense from their injuries. Larkon looked at the other three survivors and nodded to them in gratefulness as they did the same to him.

Guards from the arena rushed through the flanks of the gate and surrounded the warriors. Their eyes were narrowing in confusion as they tried to make haste. Nonetheless it was all for naught the guards only brought their shackles with them. The Gladiators dropped their weapons as their hands were raised in offer. The metal clamped down on to their wrist as the guards escorted them right after back inside the gate where their masters remain.

There, their masters clapped in appreciation and for performing so well. With Zanis was the human master of the ogre and blood elf.

"I knew I would not regret what I have purchased, and as promised, you have both done well and you will be rewarded well when we return." Zanis mentions as he walked up and patted both Larkon and Urak on the shoulders.

Both of the Gladiators breathe heavily through their noses as the blood of their wounds drip by and flows down their skin and armor. Though irritating, it was only minor, not enough to put any concern on their minds nor on their faces or eyes or even attention. Zanis gestured for them to follow him, up to a small cart where bags of gold were piled up.

"Likewise, slavery pays if you choose well, and I have chosen well."

Larkon and Urak noded as they noticed the human aster who was with Zanis earlier walk up to him with his Ogre and Blood Elf slave following him.

"Congratulations Zan for a well-placed bet. I must admit I'm jealous of your fine products, indeed. I can tell you've spent very wisely in purchasing them. Just as I have with mine here." the human slaver said as he motioned the ogre and blood elf gladiator behind him.

"Guards, take these two at the cart, I'll follow up." Zanis ordered, and the guards nodded in obedience as they helped out the injured Gladiators to the carts. "We made good profits and many more." Zanis said as he looked at the human merchant. "Made possible with your ogre crashing through the trolls, they got them pinned down."

"In deed but your Orc was able to save his life that one moment while your human was able to able to form some decent defense strategy against the Trolls' archery spear barrage. With fine fighters like the ones we have, perhaps in the near or far future we can increase the stakes and possibly win more." he mentioned.

Zanis gestured at the entire arena, along with the crowd walking around and while cheering inside the arena as an another match of Gladiators begins. "Get checked, money had been made, there is more to see when we are going up further."

"Agreed." he answered.

Zanis turned towards the ogre and nodded. "He brings money in the table. He gets his reward and perhaps more." He told him, as he turned.

The human nodded in agreement. "Perhaps it's time." He told him as he watched Zanis walked away.

The two gladiators let out a small grunt of pain, as they covered their wounds with their hands. Already they had removed the plates on their shoulders that was damaged the most throughout the fight. Blood was flowing, yet it was not fatal. They watched Zanis climbed aboard as the guards once more clamped their hands in chains.

Larkon looked back as the cart rolled on, seeing the human slaver give a bag of gold to the ogre, while removing the shackles from the ogre's wrist. "He's free." He noticed, he was loud enough for Urak to hear.

"A reward he has rightfully earned from what I have seen from him. Do not threat Larkon, we will one day join him in freedom when we have earned that right." Urak answered.

"We'll see…"

* * *

The heat of the growing sun began to take toll as the sweat of her purple skin ever grows to drown her like there was no tomorrow. She raised up her arms and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand as she climbed up the ladders, picking up fruits up the tree as she was told to do so. It was labor that she did back to her homeland, yet the heat was making the difference of her difficulty. Her hands pluck the last fruit that was ripe enough from the harvest and pulled herself down back to the soft grass of the garden surrounding her master's mansion. It was the first time she could see a large flowing garden surrounding one's house, and especially could see how the servants have taken care of it so carefully.

She bent down on to the basket and put the last of her harvest in the loaded basket. Smiling in satisfaction as the last of her labors for the remaining hours has been finished. "It is done." Seleara told the guard who was among those watching and guarding the garden.

"Excellent, bring those to the kitchen to the little Blood Elf to wash and clean and then get yourself cleaned up before turning in for the day." The guard instructed.

The Night Elf sighed and carried the basket along. She could just feel the eyes of the guard hovering over her body as he lusted for her. She just hoped her master is honorable enough not to lend her to them. She was however glad to be wearing normal farming clothing alongside her friends instead of those revealing ragged and torn clothing they originally wore when they first came in.

Seleara soon found herself into the kitchen where Arseah was washing and cleaning the harvested food from the garden while Rachel prepared and cooked whatever Arseah finished cleaning.

"I got the last bit of harvest ready. We should be done soon for the day." Seleara told them.

"Thank you Seleara." Arseah thanked as she took the basket that Seleara offered to her and began working on cleaning the last pick of harvest. "It seems that slavery here for women does not exploit us to exposing ourselves from anyone unless given permission by our master." Arseah commented.

Seleara took a seat at a chair to rest and catch her breath while cooling off. "I've noticed, at least we were given decent jobs with better clothes instead of exploiting ourselves in hardly anything at all."

"By the son blessed our souls. I forever be grateful that we were not sold to some other slaver." Arseah said as she soaked and drown the fruits in water.

"Me too…" Rachel said softly as she finished scraping a potato and moved to another one.

"I just wonder how Larkon and Urak are managing. Since they have to fight for their lives." Seleara asked.

"We do not know I pray that they will safely return. It seems to me that they too do not deserve such struggles." Arseah answered.

"I agree. They're...different compared to the other men we've met in our...unfortunate past. Urak refused to take advantage of us because he wanted to stay loyal to his wife. And Larkon, from what you told me he requested that you didn't exploit yourself and allowed you to enjoy his reward at a nicer room more than he did. Must've been very nice." Seleara stated.

"They give advice too…" Rachel suddenly butted into the conversation.

Selera and Arseah smiled when Rachel butted into the conversation. Glad that she was taking their advice to be more open.

"They do yeah, enough to actually get you to follow. Before we came here, you rarely if hardly ever talked to others except us. And even then it was only a few speeches. Now Larkon's got you being a little more open than usual." Seleara acknowledged.

"He reminded me of brother once…" Rachel answered.

"Your brother?" Seleara asked.

"How so?" Arseah asked softly.

"He keeps on telling me to keep on smiling. And was the one who was a father figure to me when we didn't have a father beside us." She told them.

"So that was your brother hu? Larkon sounds allot like him." Seleara answered.

"Yet despite that he tells us to keep smiling and be more open. He himself doesn't smile as much or is open as he wishes for us to be." Arseah states as she finishes washing the fruits and begins drying her hands with a towel.

"Just like my brother…" Rachel commented. "I don't know what he will do when he finds out I'm not home…."

"Don't worry, we'll all return to our homes as fast as we can. For now we must be thankful that we have a master who is a better man than previous masters we've had and has goal to set us free when we have fulfilled our services to him." Seleara stated.

"But...I don't know where to go after here…" Arseah mentioned as she took a seat in a chair. "My life before here was…" she couldn't finish her sentence.

"You'll find it. Just let time pass, you'll find it." Rachel told her.

"I hope so." Arseah nodded as spent the next few moments in deep thought about what her futre may hold.

* * *

Larkon sat in the back of the cart with Urak sitting across in front of him. He had been so tired from the fight he forgot to take him armor off back at the arena so the entire time he had been laying there still fully suited and ready like he was prepared for another battle. His eyes was slightly different, almost to the point that it felt like somebody else's. The feeling of relief to live another day did not have the same effect, it was like it was just an empty shell inside of himself. There was no smiles that he lived, only a frown, as the stain of blood was on his cheeks, shoulders and hands. He felt like death was near, because nothing remained a reason for him to live any longer.

Regrets was on his eyes, seeing the necklace tag of his Captain on his palms, failing to get back home just like his captain wanted for him and for others. Only he remained now, and hopes that the others who escaped to safety would not experience what he is experiencing. Even though it had been a month since the incident that led between the shallow hollows of his heart, it seemed like it was just minutes before.

The memories of friends kept him sane, Durel, Alura, Kinar, Thark, and the others who came on to the old dwarf's inn and drank themselves out to laughter. He squeezed the necklace that rested on his palms and wears it back to his neck.

Nothing could be gained on letting memories fly by on his mind. He would eventually know what becomes of him when he gets back home. Or IF he gets back home, or would he not just fight here forever. But that is not what they had in mind. He gets back home, he would get back home and start from there.

Feeling the heavy sweat, he took his helmet off and sighed in relief. Looking back over to Urak, he saw the Orc was deep at thought about something. His best guess was most likely his family he told him earlier before they entered. Nothing to gain on his memories, perhaps something could be gained on letting Urak's memories be introduced.

"So, you had a wife and son hu?" Larkon asked.

"Yes…" Urak answered.

Larkon took a moment to choose his next words wisely. "How did they die?"

Urak sighed as he just kept staring at the cart floor. "Like you have said to me, not interested in letting our memories get the head of it. So I want you to keep your tongue out from the mention of my family human." Urak reminded him harshly.

"My apologies. You also mentioned you adopted two children sometime after that event. And that you fight to see them again."

"Yes. Their fates concern me, so I fight now to return to them and see what has become of them." he answered.

"You two. Put these warriors up with me." They both heard Zanis ordered the guards.

The two warriors looked at each other in confusion as the guards brought them up to their master. They hoist them up the cart before going back to their positions between them as the cart rolled once more. "Sixteen thousand gold pieces." Zanis told him, showing off bags of gold beside.

"Is that how much we've earned you from the arena?" Urak asked.

Zanis nodded. "And then some."

Larkon and Urak remained quiet. It doesn't really give off any good things for them other than knowing they did not disappoint him. The gladiators only watched as Zanis counted out his winnings in satisfaction.

"Guards, when we get back, get these two fresh baths, and a feast for them to eat, tell the house servants that." Zanis ordered.

The guards noded as they understood the order.

"Sir if I may, can I ask you something?" Larkon asked.

"I'm all ears." Zanis answered.

"You said you were a gladiator slave once, and that it was from earning your freedom that you discovered you wanted to do the same for others." Larkon began.

"To sum it up, yes that is the case."

"How long did it take you to earn your freedom?" Larkon asked.

Zanis did not respond at first as he finished counting the gold and set it back up. "Long enough…" he answered quietly. "Had a good run there. Back maybe, that was nine...to ten years ago? Had a reign of terror with skills. Had good rounds, saw some friends die in the ring, but above all else, made it out, while getting back here."

Larkon and Urak noded as they sat with him for the remainder of the trip until finally arriving back at his mansion. It's the first to see the surrounding gardens behind the mansion, it was not clearly seen at first due to the angle in front but nonetheless they could see the fresh trees and bear fruits that the servants and villagers surrounding. Merchants are selling all around the village while adventurers would occasionally visit the village to stay inside an inn. All of the villagers are mixed, but mostly comprising of worgens, orcs and trolls.

Most of the servants turned their heads at rolling carts which just stopped by. Both of the warriors limped back down to the soft ground with chains on their wrist. The guards were nodding at both of the Gladiators direction, in which an action that Zanis noticed.

"You two earned their respect, like I have said, some were former slaves and gladiators."

Larkon and Urak noded back to them as they made their way back inside the mansion. Inside, both Larkon and Urak were lead to enjoy a large feast that was prepared for them. The house servants all female of orcish and troll races, just wrapped the small wounds on their bodies as some would finally unstrap the last of their armors, finally freeing them from the weight pressing down.

The two sat down and saw the quantity and the quality of the food that was brought before them, and sure enough it should be the most fine tasting quality meat they would ever taste in the span of their entire service as a soldier and as a guard. Yet it seems it wasn't enough to give them any appetite for them to just mow down what was given to them. The two just sat and half heartedly began to eat requested by their starving bodies.

Urak looked back at the shared bravery between them, both showing courage, bravery and savagery along with valor, it has more than enough to earn his respect of himself and his ancestors before him. They continued eating feasts quietly for another moment before Urak said a compliment. "Thank you for your courage and help in the arena today."

"I will say it back to you for the same reasons." Larkon also thanked while taking a sip of wine. He looked on back to his orc counterpart and gave respect, utter most respect to know that he plays a big role in giving the freedom he needed.

The food gives satisfaction, yet it was not as satisfying for the warriors in terms of giving morale. No, it was just food like every other, for them. There was nothing else to that, than giving their bodies what their needed.

Larkon was the first one to stand up, signaling for the servants beside him to escort him out and towards the dressing room where he would be dressed for his rewarding bath. Once inside, he gestured for the servants to leave him be. A mirror gives view to his battered body. Bruises can be seen throughout the lower part of his anatomy, yet it didn't bothered the warrior physically in any way possible. It was more of nuisance to him in appearance rather than a concerning energy. Small cuts and can be seen, and especially the large gash on his shoulder that reopened, yet it was just a small opening of the wound. Simple bandages was already placed for him to make use. He took rolls of it to wrap around his wounds, before finally dressing himself to be escorted on to the showers.

Zanis watched the servants passed by with the human warrior as they escorted him, while all around commenting as he watched with Arseah. "He is your friend right?" He questioned, yet an authoritative statement can be heard in his tone.

"Within these recent days I could say that we know each other." Arseah answered, before adding a question. "So what would you have me do master in your request to bring myself here?"

"Just help your friend for a bath. That is all." he ordered.

"As you wish my master." she bowed her head and walked into the room where Larkon was to be bathed. Already she could feel anxiety once more knowing she was exposed to such practices, but nonetheless it was at least from someone whom she knows well enough on to the days that would not put her in a situation where she would not want. She heard it from the person itself, and for her that would be enough to put her trust in.

Meanwhile the human warrior tossed what remained of his clothes, finally exposing himself under. He was heavily muscled, finely shaped throughout as water poured down on to himself, flowing down to his body. 'Cold' he thought as the blood, sweat, and dirt was washed from himself. His lips came to a smile as the cold water brings a small and relaxing sensation, giving in to the pleasure of water washing down on to him for the first time in weeks. He gave a heavy sigh in relief feeling all blood, sweat, and dirt wash away from him.

So much that he felt so relaxed that he almost wanted to fall asleep right there in the bath. He then kneeled down as the water showered down on him, like a rain in the night. 'Just like at the camp.' He thought. But nonetheless, he just relaxed and let the waters drain all the sweat and dirt from his body.

A creak of the door was heard, followed by a small sound click, indicating a closed door. Small splashing steps reached to the warrior's ears, yet it did not bother him. Small hands gently touched the top of his shoulder, avoiding his wounds the warrior turned his head slightly, seeing a Blood Elf beside him.

Nakedness was the first thing he noticed with her, bare just like he is as her arms covered the areolas and nipples of her breast. Her legs were exposed to his eyes, just as his own. Her golden hair was now soaked as they stood under the flowing waters, her arms reached and gently brushed around the wound of his shoulder with a gentle cloth.

"Arseah?" he asked, confused as to what she was doing and why she was in here as naked as he was in front of him.

"Master requested that I help bathe you." she answered.

"But…" before he could finished, she placed a gentle soft finger on his lips to silence him.

"It's okay, I am fine with this. For it is for you who I put my trust in." she told him before removing her finger from his lips.

He did not respond in words. Instead only responding with a gentle nod as he could see that it was okay with her, which was enough for him to be okay with as well. Turning around he sat back down in the water. "Okay, go ahead."

She nodded and gently let her hands go and brush his body. And for the warrior it made him relaxed. Her nakedness however proved to be a problem as his arousal grew, his manhood began to harden and enlarge to a considerable size. The former town guard grunted to his displeasure as a sudden wave of wanting clouded himself. He would occasionally glance to his side, seeing the erotic image of the Blood Elf's naked body. The way her decent but large breasts swayed ever slowly with each rub of her hands on his back. The way she sat in a squatting position behind him gave him a view of her womanhood between her legs.

The Blood Elf also noticed, as she looked down. Her cheeks immediately turned red as she saw down below, and also immediately she could notice how he was so. 'He's enormous….' She told herself that, as her arousal also grew tremendously. She would occasionally lift her arms to lift her hair over her ear, just indicating her arousal was bothering her like he was.

As he watched her lift her arms up to lift her hair over her pointed ears, he watched her soft breasts move in rhythm of her movement. Furthering the arousal to enlarge his manhood more and cause his face to blush red. Not wanting her to notice this, he slipped his hands between his legs to try and push his ever growing large arousal down. Taking deep breaths and hoping the cold water that washed and soaked it would eventually lower down his own steam of arousal through the sack of his crotch.

It was when she felt his body tense close to her that she took notice what he was striving to accomplish. It once again shocked her to see him do this for her. Most men would pounce and ravage her like she was some object to slate their insatiable lust. Larkon however did not view her as such. He viewed her as a normal living being to respect and care for her enough to control himself in her presence. He really was someone special, so for that she had to help him

"Would you mind if we stand up Larkon? So that I can wash the lower parts of your abdomen fairly easily…." Arseah shyly asked.

"Of course." He answered softly. His tone could easily indicate his own difficulty in answering to her.

Both of them stood up as he turned around, sending themselves into full view of each other. And for the human warrior, it ultimately proved to be too much for him to endure as his manhood sprung up to in the air, to be viewed by the blood elf. He noticed the full blush of red of the Blood Elf's cheeks and even seeing her knees slightly buckle when she saw him.

"Umm...May I?" She raised the soaked cloth to his body.

"Only as long as you are comfortable with this. I won't force you or ask of you something that you are not well with." he answered her gently.

She nodded and proceeded to wash the sides of his abdomen. The growing wetness of her nether regions really showed how ready she could be, and that her body was wanting a situation like this to happen. Never once in her life did someone turned her on like this. Many have been naked and have their way with her, but never once on those time have made her grow this aroused.

The side of her hip would occasionally bump in with his arousal, sending her to a state of shock and hesitation. Still, she kept herself controlled as her hands holds the cloth tightly around to wash him down. It was just in front of her, all of himself, he was just so big compared to her. Everything about him is huge, his physique, his muscles, and especially his 'tools' that none of those whom she had experienced with even come close to his size.

Her hands stopped when she felt his hand touched her waist. She looked up to see directly to his eyes and saw that he was just as affected to her beauty as her to everything about him. His smile made her feel special, like a person of value. No one has ever treated her like this during the days she had back when she was with her own people. What she held on knowing others are kind held true and it is was right in front of her

"It is true….oh my…." She whispered softly to herself. Her left hand softly took his hand that was on her waist, and guided his it on to her breast. A smile imprints as she looked up to him, her green eyes locking down on to his hazel ones. She looked at him with soft and willing eyes. None have brought that from her, not once. Only he the warrior in front of her as she sighed softly. "I'm willing….please take me." She told him, feeling the gentle squeeze of his hand on to her was like something she had never experienced.

He nodded to her, walking behind the blood elf and gently rubbed her breast in his hand as gently and softly as he could. Only increasing speed ever so often the more he heard her quietly moan. He brought his other hand up to her other breast and started rubbing them both in his hands. Causing her to moan even more and slightly louder the more he continued. He himself grunted a little as the feeling of her breasts, areolas, and nipples felt so soft to him. The smooth soft skin was so soft but her ever hardening nipples felt even soft to her as they hardened in between his fingers.

Switching to something different he began to squeeze her breasts now, softly of course. While every now and then giving her harden nipples a soft pinch while he continued to squeeze and rub her soft breasts in his hands.

Arseah backed off as she pinned herself against the wall. The human warrior followed suite and pinned her small frame against the wall as he leaned down and kissed her. His arms wrapped around her waist as their grueling passion grows stronger like a fire. His hands grope the firm of her buttocks, letting out a small moan from the blood elf as their ever growing passion engulfed themselves. He lifted her up and let her legs wrap around his waist, softly rubbing his hard pole in between her soft folds to get her prepared and ready for what was about to happen. He led her to the wet floor, their kiss did not stop as the Arseah rest her back to the hard and wet marble of the floor.

Small whimpers escaped from her lips as the blood elf felt something enter her, stretching her to the point of hurting. It was painful as her body tried to adjust the huge intruder. "Ow...please let me breathe and adjust first, it hurts."

The warrior looked at her in confusion and in apologetically. "I'm sorry I thought-"

"I am….its just that…...I never had taken such size before." She explained, and that proved to boost that ego of the warrior on top of her so much more.

"Okay...whenever you're ready." he told her with a smile. He could see a small trick of tear on the side of her cheeks as he told.

She sighed and took a moment to adjust to his size inside her. Slowly letting him slide deeper into her and holding him within. She did her best not to try and squeeze him since that was meant to be saved for the actual moment and she was trying to get used to him first. When she was ready she bucked her hips a little to him to let him know she was now ready for him to proceed as she finally adjusted to his amazing size. Deep and slow thrust follow, as her small whimpers began to let out.

The warrior took a deep look at her features as he thrust deep into her, and even then he could not put himself all the way inside her as he already bottomed out in the entrance of her womb with some of his own length still unable to imbed inside her. Arseah allowed him to take her, she could still feel the pain even as he thrust, but pleasure covered what little pain she could get from his thrusts.

Her folds began to grow red as her knees buckle, she covered her lips with her palms as the first of her climax hit her. Her eyes welled up in tears as her body was attacked by series of pleasurable sensations as his girth stretched her walls to the point of hurting. Her essence juices sprayed out of her and onto the crotch of the former guard now Gladiator like a small water fountain. Allowing him to enter and thrust more inside her warm soft depths a lot easier and smoother motions.

His thrusts began to increase their pace as he neared himself to his own climax. He kissed her deeply, using their tongue to dance with each other inside their mouths. "I'm nearing…" He pulled away and told her.

She respond in a nod as she let him thrust deeper and faster as her own climax once more approaches. "It's safe…" she whispered softly to him as she kissed him deeply once more and countered thrusted to match his thrust. Attempting to try and climax at the same time as he was about to at any moment now.

"Ungh!" He groaned as he thrust deeply into her as the crown of his phallus hammered the entrance of her womb while the warrior was slightly dissatisfied of him unable to imbed all of himself, but his climax took him through heights of pleasure he did not even knew. His heavily pent of seed poured from out of his pole and inside her walls as the blood elf beneath him whimpered in trying to suppress the scream of calling of pain and pleasure. Her knees were shaking as her legs trembled in pleasure, but then it only took them a moment to fall down limp.

He softly grabbed her and turned themselves around so she may lay on top of him instead of laying on top of her. He didn't want to accidently hurt her by crushing her with the weight of his large muscles while she was recovering from the pleasurable experience. He brought a hand up to the back of her head and softly rubbed it while he let her rest on his muscular chest. Carefully she breathed to catch her breath and enjoy the afterglow of their actions together.

"Thank you…" she whispered softly while still trying to catch her breath.

"For what?" he asked gently as she looked into his hazel eyes with her green ones. A look of happiness was present on her face as her eyes watered with tears of joy.

"For letting me finally experience real comfort from a wonderful person." she answered as her tears streamed down her soft cheeks. Her eyes darted as she looked at his features, and forever that would be in her mind, heart and soul. A man that showed her what is like to be loved when nobody else had love her.

The gladiator smiled, brushing the back of his hand to her cheeks. "Everyone should have." He told her. He leaned in and kissed her between her ears and cheeks. "How does a human would compare?" He asked playfully with a smirked.

"Well, I can see why Males from my race are always jealous." she answered playfully, before shyly asking "And hey, would you mind if we stay like this for a bit?"

The gladiator nodded in agreement. "That's what I was going to ask." He said as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply, letting the flowing waters hit their skin in relaxation.


	18. A Sad News

"Does anyone know what time it is?" Finan asked the group while laying back at the cart once more.

The Sudden question awoke Alura, a moan escape from her lips as she lifted her body up from her tiny little nap she was taken. Thankfully she got some better sleep then she did the previous day. She rubbed her soft blue glowing eyes to wake herself up and look towards Finan who was apparently checking the order of herbs he had for the Prince. With a large yawn she looked at the sky taking notice before listening to the brief answer of the pandaren.

"From the orange color of the sky and the fading of the night. The time of the morning's dawn approaches." Quon quoted while he still slept in a meditative state.

Finan just looked at the Pandaren with confusion. "I asked what time it was not for some I can't understand what the hell is coming out of your mouth damn riddle or rhyme or whatever you're talking about." Finan groaned.

"I think he saying it's morning at dawn." Kinar answered as she was waking up from her nap as well.

"I see. Hey Thark, how much longer do we have before we arrive?" Finan called over to Thark who was driving the cart.

"We're at the Garrison entrance, aye be just needin to talk to another pair of some hulkish human and orc. Bah! Me flayin metal bootstrap get me question why does it have to be always human and an orc every interfactional garrison!" Thark answered with an angered statement.

"I don't know desperate times calls for desperate out aside issues and deal with it time of stuff. Besides the Alliance's main race has always been humans while Orcs have always been the Horde's main race. So of course when the two join together the garrison is going to consist of them two in charge of whatever…" Finan answered as he checked the herbs a little before towards Kinar. "So about what you told me the other day, in all honestly you are just a Balance Druid right?"

"Yeah, all hands down honesty, I'm just a Balance Druid who just has an Restoration Affinity. That's why I'm able to be great on both fields." she answered.

"I see, so a Balance Druid with one of her talents being a Restoration Affinity." Finnan finished checking his herbs before handing them to Kinar. "Kinar we will be approaching soon and if the Royal Family is here then I'm going to need to have Prince Anduin's request finished before we arrive. Think you can see what you can do?"

"We will see what I can do, but I am sure my father is not present here or he would be once again with General Moira or with Vindicator Joven." She told him.

"Is he a druid?" Finan asked.

Kinar chuckled "Yeah right, the best words to describe my father are as followed and sorry Alura for my language. General Kodan of Gilneas is an old battle worn badass who doesn't give a flying fuck what you think of him."

"Kinar…" Alura said a little shock to hear such bad language.

"So I guess he's the furthest thing from a druid…" Finan asked.

"OH you have a no idea…" Kinar joked as she started observing the herbs a little while looking at Finan's notes.

Alura soon turned to Quon who was still resting peacefully. She figured she could ask him regarding the blasted lands they were in.

"Pardon me Quon but have you ever been here at the Blasted Lands before?" she asked.

"No, perhaps yes? No." He answered in repeated confusion.

"Uhh, so is it yes or no?" she asked a little confused.

"No, I never had step foot yet here in these lands. And suffice to say! This land fascinates me like a moth to a flame! And my adventure grows ever stronger when we step foot at the land beyond!" He told her.

Finan sighed heavily while leaning his head back. "Again with the damn riddles."

"Finan! Gey ye arse over here I need ye's royal partition slip to get past these garrison guards." Thark called out.

"On my way." The gnome groaned as he got up, walked over to Thark and took a seat next to him as the human and orc guard stopped them.

"Name and business." the both said.

"I am…"

"At ease, I know who this gnome is." the group suddenly heard a rough voice call off the guards.

Kinar's eyes shot open in fear as she recognized the voice. "Uh oh…"

The group then sees an Imposing eight foot tall Grey Worgen with a very muscular build complete with a broad chest and shoulders. He had swept back black hair, the sclera of his eyes yellow with his iris red. In terms of outfit, he wore a black tunic, black trousers, and black fingerless gloves. All tucked into his dark colored armor. Consisting of a breastplate, bladed pauldrons, bladed vambraces, and leg plates. Over this he wore a custom Gilneas tabard that had a grey fur trimmed collar, and a metal girdle wrapped around his waist.

Both the human and orc guard stood in attention and saluted him.

"General Kodan our apologies we did not know you would be coming." the human guard answered.

Kodan just sniffed the air and growled a little. "Their scents brought me. They got something within their package that caught my attention. Or shall I say someone…" he growled.

The group froze as he stared at them with a serious look before looking over them to see Kinar smiling nervously.

"Hi daddy…" she greeted with a nervous smile.

"Kinar!" he growled a little.

"Um...we're...just traveling by...I…"

"What in the name of the Light's literal hell are you doing here?!" he demanded.

"I was cooperating as a volunteer for the sick and injured!" She shouted back.

"After I told you in my last letter to stay put in Stormwind!"

"Daddy, turn back to your human form so that I can take you seriously…." Kinar suggested, looking over to the growling worgen with no fear or any obedience to his demands.

He growled a little. "You know very well I see my Worgen form as my true form. My human form is weak and unfit to be my real form." he commented. "You should embrace your gift not hide from it. But that is not the point I want to make with you at this moment young lady!"

"Turn, for a bit so that I would see once more your 'stronger' side of your personality. Because I just can't take you seriously of you pretending to be this BIG and STRONG worgen." She again once more stated, looking at him with crossed arms, with a narrowed brow as her lips curl to a small frown.

He growled a little angry at her. "I don't have time to argue with you on this Kinar. At the moment I have several men being held captive by some of Hellscream's orcs. And every moment I waste trying to talk sense into that thick headed skull of yours the less likely they'll be around much longer!" he shouted at her.

Kinar started to chuckle lightly. "Oh father, still hiding in your own insecurity." She commented.

"Damnit Kinar don't start with me I am in no mood for it and I do not have the time to put up with it!"

"Look General obviously you got some kind of issue on your hands. So why not let us take care of it and in return you will allow us to stay." Finan suggested. "And Kinar had a plan that would get herself killed if you don't turn back to your human self."

The general immediately lost all of his fur in a split second and hurled himself at Kinar's face. "KINAR WHAT IS THIS PLAN THAT HE IS SPEAKING OF?!"

"I don't know." she answered confused as to what FInan was doing seeing how she really didn't have a plan. Nonetheless even at her raging father she wrapped her arms around his head and turned herself back to her human form. "Aaaah! Daddy I missed you!" She told him as she sniffed his hair.

He looked at her for a moment as he sighed and calmed down. He patted her on the back and had her let him go. "Meet in my tent and I'll explain everything." he requested as he started walking off towards his tent.

Kinar looked back at the group and smiled at them. "See?" She smiled. "Ooooh daddy, you are still insecure." She commented as she watched him walk off.

"Aye so that be ye father lass? He's as everybit of the hard ars yet insecure man you've described him to be." Thark mentioned.

"He's still as scary and short tempered as I remember him, and still it didn't affect me like the last time I saw him." Alura commented.

"Quon, any words of wisdom or anything regarding what we just went saw?" Finan asked.

"Those who are insecure hides in a soft fur." Quon quoted for him.

The human and Orc guard let them pass and enter into the military camp. "Hey daughter of the General." The big human called as they passed.

"Yes?"

"He really is insecure like you have said." He winked at her.

Kinar only giggled in response as they passed on. Looking over at The military camp, noticing it was filled to the brim, the handlers were handling siege weapons. All races from all factions gathered in cooperation against the newbound threat that would level Azeroth to the ground. They could see Orcs sparring against humans, Taurens sparring against Humans, Worgens, even the Kal'dorei and the Sin'dorei elves had found a way to put their heated relationship aside in order to cooperate with each other and help against the common enemy. The group managed to walk past them without incident, leading on to where the Worgen General stayed at and waited for them.

Thark parked the cart closeby to where the horses could get their well earned nourishments as the grouped hopped out and entered into the General's tent. Once they were all inside. Kodan sighed and transformed into his human form. In his human form he still maintained the worgen eyes as his hair became black mixed with grey. However as a human he looked like a battle worn human in his late fifties with harden tan colored skin which contradict his daughter's pale soft skin.

"There, you happy?" Kodan asked his daughter.

Kinar immediately walked on to him raising her arms on the way and hugged him. "I really miss you daddy, two years...two years." She told him, pushing her face cheeks against the metal plate of his breast plate.

He sighed a little and hugged her gently while patting her back. "After everything that has been accomplished. I still could not return, knowing that there was more to be done in order to insure what was at state was kept safe." He told her and just gently put her arms away from his waist and just kept her there in front of him. "Alright Kinar, why are you here along with…..Alura, and a dwarf, one of Stomrwind's royal mages, and a talking panda?" he asked.

"Well daddy, it's a long story. But what is the issue you're facing now?" she asked.

He sighed and lets her go. "Yesterday when your brother returned from scouting for me. He reported that an Old Horde camp had several soldiers being held captive. Hellscream, Ki'llrogg and I forgot the others. They demand an audience with Thrall and if their demands are not met by tomorrow, they will sacrifice them. But my point is that I had too many things in my hand right now to put up with you so just tell me what do you need from me so that you can go back." He told her.

"I'll tell you once you fill us in on what we can do to help with these soldiers." Kinar answered.

"No, you stay put we already got the SI:7 to help us infiltrate so you stay." He answered before looking over to the gnome. "Ey Finan you can take the plants over to the table among with others, someone will collect your plant and you will be rewarded back at Stormwind."

"Is Arden with them?" Kinar suddenly asked.

"Kinar don't start that now."

"How come you always trust my older brother to do these dangerous tasks more than me?" she asked.

"Because you are frail. So anyhow, what are you doing here?" He asked her once more, before looking over to the draenei. "And Alura what are you doing here also, did Kinar dragged you into this?"

"No sir, I'm the one who dragged her into this." Alura answered softly.

"No I volunteered to come. We have a friend who was wrongfully drafted into the front lines. We heard his squad was reported missing so we came to search for them. He could be among one of those being held captive." Kinar answered.

"Who? And from what Squadron?" He asked.

"Larkon of Captain Jorden's Squadron." Alura answered.

"Captain Jorden's squadron? Hah! They are already Missing in Action!." he answered.

"Yes they've been missing in action for a month now. That's why we're here!" Kinar answered.

"Well technically they are not ALL missing in action, just a small portion of them, most of them have returned, perhaps you could find someone there that would be a friend of yours."

Alura was the first to speak up in response before anyone. "Really, where are they, is any of them hurt, is Larkon among them?" she asked in worry.

"You'll see, I don't know who is this Larkon you speak of, but truly the Captain of that squadron is missing, and would be labled as." He answered.

"By the light Jorden….May I ask where they are?" Alura asked after taking a brief moment on knowing that the fact that Jorden is missing truly. Her eyes looked down as she tried to let out a calming breath, trying not to get off from her emotions on the current information was given to her. Now it truly confirmed that the captain whom at least approved her stay and entertained her to visit the camp is truly missing.

"I'll have my son Arden escort you to them." Kodan answered as he exited his tent and called out. "Arden!"

He took a few steps back and waited for a moment. Soon enough a seven foot tall black Worgen with a slim yet very muscular build, short black hair, and blue eyes entered. He wore dark blue trousers with the legs being covered by a heavy leather tasset belt around his waist, with red cloth adoring it. Around his neck was a red hooded cowl, which spread from shoulder to shoulder. Grey cloths wrapped every inch of his arms and legs down to the feet and fingerless gloves. The fingerless gloves were made of heavy leather along with the tasset belts.

"You rang father?" Arden asked with a joking playful manner.

"Arden don't give me that annoying rouge tongue you had the bad habit of picking up with the SI:7 I got…" Kodan sniffed him for a moment before asking. "What is that smell on you?"

"Oh this…" Arden sniffed himself. "Don't mind this, just keeping company to some of the uh new soldiers we're getting from both factions."

"Smells like perfume, mixed with some kind of dead skin and rotten eggs! Goodness me change back to your human self, that smell would stick in the FUR!" The Human Worgen General demanded.

"I thought you said we should embrace being Worgens and that our human forms are weak. Speaking of which why are you in your human form I thought you hated your human form?" he asked.

"The feeling of ticks and fleas were distracting me from the current issues at hand so for now I have a small change of heart." He told him.

"Well maybe I should introduce you to some of the nice healers from the Horde. I tell ya, those Tauren ladies really know how to keep the fleas and ticks off the ass if you catch my meaning father." he smirked.

The General just ignored his statements. "So anyway, change back and meet your sister, Joven's daughter, priestess Alura, and…...a dwarf, A royal mage of Stormwind, Finan, and a Pandaren." He gestured at the group.

"Alright, alright." he answered as he shifted back into his human form. In his human form he looked identical to Kodan in terms of appearance but only much younger, had pale colored skin similar to Kinar's skin color, and had a stubbed facial hair.

When Arden finished he turned towards his sister and smiled happily in seeing her. "Hello dear sister, it's been a very long time." he greeted happily to her.

"Dont! Approach, stay at the distance, your smell still lingers." Kinar said.

"Is it really that bad?" He asked before sniffing his own scent, crumpling up in disgust. "Alright…."

"Now father knows where the squadron is? Captain Jorden's Squadron?" she asked, looking over to her father before back to him.

Arden nodded. "Yes, they are at the evacuation center of the injured and traumatized." He answered, before giving off instructions to where they are. "They can be found at the corner of the base camp, where you can see many damaged carts close to a series of tents. I'll take you to them right now."

"And after your done my next order is for you to take a serious bath and have a healer check you for anything you may have caught from whatever things you have been handling." Kodan growled.

"Yes father I will…" Ardan groaned as he started leading the group out the tent. He took notice of the others with his sister, mainly towards Alura and gave a smirk.

"So Alura, still holding up to your vows as a priestess?" he asked.

Alura nodded. "Still my mind is set, I do not know if someone could ever change that." She answered.

He shrugged. "It's always the most beautiful that get taken by the vows of chastity."

"Lad just bring us to where the squadron is at before I do something to ya ye may not be comfortable with." Thark warned. "And Oi Lad, ferverin in on SI:7 seem found on them skulkin rouges." Thark commented.

"New things, some, stealth, or attacks, assassins were banned, thieves are highered, a guild of mixed." Arden told him, leaving it out as they walked past by as they arrived. "Here we are, the evact center, I'll leave you out of this, I got more matters to attend to." He told them as he waved and starts walking off.

"Oh!" Kinar exclaimed before running off to him and gave him a tight hug. "I love you brother."

He smiled and hugged her back softly before letting her go and walking off to where he was needed.

In the meantime just as Kinar came back to the group, they noticed a majority if not most of the squadron were heavily injured and traumatised just as Ardden said they were. The men from the battlefield were just laying around, skulking, somewhere jittering with unintelligible words in the corner, shaking their hands as they put their heads down. Some were seriously injured, some had a large hole in their legs, some had their hands chopped off and some were already dead in the bed and to be proceeded off to be carried outside amongst the hundreds.

They were all being treated by a large slightly muscular reddish brown female Tauren Shaman who had blue eyes, and long black hair tied in a single braid at the back and jagged bangs on the forehead. She had a few white shaman markings painted on her, most noticeable a few on her cheeks. She wore an old greyish tribal hooded short sleeve robe, leather tribal bracers on her forearms, leather tribal leggings that extended past her knees, and a tribal poncho in the shape of a triangle draped across the front of the body. Over this she wore hair-pipe breastplate, and a few tribal bracelets and necklaces of fine trinkets of ivory, bone and amber.

A figure of purple skin interrupted them as they went inside. "State your business and reasons of attending." She told them.

The group looked towards the figure to see a stunningly beautiful Night Elf with a lithe build in the peak of physical health build with almost perfect womanly curves and a beautiful face. She had silver glowing eyes, light purple skin, and wild free flowing shoulder length teal colored hair. Her right eye was partially covered by her right hair bang while one long strand of hair was kept braided to the left side of her face. Her most noticeable feature was her Night Elven facial tattoos of the Serpent, reminiscent of a snake's eye slit, one double pointed, slightly curved line marked over each eye.

She wore a black leotard with a hood and an ankle-length matching loincloth at the front and back. Next she wore a black cloth mask over the lower half of her face, a pair of black fingerless black gloves that covered most of her forearms, and black open heel gaiters that extended partially past her knees. She also wore a feather hair clip in her hair. Over this she wore grey leather padding on her forearms and ankles, all of which had an elaborate silver patterns on them. She carried a quiver along the right of her back that was filled with arrows and has a black belt strap that goes along her chest and around her waist.

On the right side of her back, she carried a night elven-hunting knife kept in a sheath with the handle facing down. Next a quiver that was filled with arrows was attached to the knife's sheath, and a hybrid Recurved Longbow worn on left of the Scabbard and Quiver. Finally, she carried dual small three-bladed moonglaives on each side of her hips.

Alura looked at her and answered. "We are here to check on some men that belonged to Captain Jorden. We were informed that they are evacuated here."

The Night Elf Huntress looked at them briefly before stepping aside and nodding them to proceed. Alura thanked her before walking over to an heavily injured guard being treated by the Tauren Shaman who was using her shamanistic magic to try and heal the guard's injuries.

"Be at ease warrior, you have fought long and hard but well enough." the Tauren said softly as she continued to heal the guard's serious injuries. "The spirits weep for your suffering but thank you deeply for your noble and heroic sacrifices."

"This here in the tent are all of the Captain's Squadron remained." The Night Elf huntress said to the group.

"Can I have a word with him please." Alura requested from the Tauren shaman, referring to the injured guard she was currently trying to heal.

The Tauren nodded and allowed her to speak, bending down, taking a seat just beside the bed. "Excuse me, I am Priestess Alura we are from the Church, we have came here to offer help for what belied you and your men."

"W-wait I know you, your that Draenei Priestess that's friends with Larkon." The guard struggled to mention as he was still deeply tired and hurt from his experience.

"Yes that is me. What happened, where's Jorden and the rest of your squad. Where is Larkon?" Alura asked.

"I don't know where they are. Twas a very cold night, had to fight series of small skirmishes just to reach that isolated death trap to where that bastard put us." He said.

"Ye mean General Moira?" Thark asked from where he was standing.

"What other sick bastard known for cruel and unusual punishments would I be speaking of. Of course I mean that sick bastard Moira." the guard answered.

"Do you know what events transpired exactly? Everything to the last detail." The huntress asked, looking over to the injured man as the Tauren lifted the injure man's arm for her to heal.

"No, was left injured early in the mission on camping towards Tanaan Jungle. Jorden filed a case to comply to relocate where our mission should be because we are the most Isolated. Was denied and threatened with treason, everyone of us and would face dishonorable discharge along with legal execution of deserters, we had no choice but to comply." He told them before starting off. "I got injured when we started to approach the cliffs of the area, we thought it would bring us cover but we got attacked. An orc caught me with its flying axe, I got hit, I went down, but in the end Jorden was able fend off and killed most of the attackers. None of us died there but some were injured." He added, letting a brief sigh go away from his breath, looking over to the visitors, then glancing at his fellow soldiers.

"Then what happened?" Alura asked.

"Don't know what happened next after, I was resting mostly in the carts along with the others. But that guy can tell you." He told them before pointing out a soldier in the corner.

The soldier's head was down as his arms was resting on his knees, looking down at the ground with no care of his surroundings. Unlike the others, he was not that injured, suffering only minor wounds.

"I see. Thank you very much for your help." Alura smiled and got up to go see the other soldier while the Tauren lifted the injured soldier and had him drink something to help with the pain and put him to sleep.

The Priestess walked over to the soldier at the corner and kneeled down to get to his level of eye contact. "Hello sir, I am priestess Alura of the Church of the Holy Light. Me and my friends have come to help you and Jorden's squad. I was told that you could tell us what happened to your squadron and the possible fates of Jorden and the others. Tell me please if you can, what happened?" she requested softly.

The soldier looked up, looking at the priestess before standing up and began removing the linens of his clothe. They raised an eyebrow to what the soldier was doing, but the story tells when he revealed a large straight wound measuring up from his right shoulder all the way back to the bottom of his abdomen where the liver lies. They could see that the wound was stitched back to close before being healed completely by the healers.

"We fled, when Jorden ordered us to scout and secure perimeters. There was fifteen of us in the group when we were sent out of one-hundred ten of us. We reached a forest nearby when we were attacked, just immediately ten of us died and the five of us managed to fight our way out in the fray. One of us were killed when we fled out, and four of us were able to reach the camp. I knew I was injured when I was able to escape but I didn't know my wound was THAT severe." He told them, flexing the area of his wound before covering it back with his clothes. They could see that his eyes were no longer that of a happy guard that was once inside the garrisons of Stormwind Barracks.

"Do you by chance know who was leading the Orcs that attacked your squad?" the Night Elf requested gently.

The guard just sat back down on the ground as Alura kneeled down to her knees to match his gaze.

"Yes, It was….Kilrogg if the description is right. He was not a massive orc but is sure to be one of the most brutal." He answered.

"Kilrogg?" both Alura and Kinar asked in sudden surprise and horror.

"Aye I remember that one eye bastard. There are evil men in this world, then there are legendary evil men, and then there is Kilrogg who puts most of them to shame. The first war between them orcs was a remembrance." Thark commented.

"Do you know what happened to Jorden at that time?" Kinar asked, kneeling also to match the gaze of the soldier.

"Yes, he immediately ordered us to flee from the camp and abandon the mission just three weeks into action and told us to 'Go home' because of what we reported. He told us that it was a mistake of accepting this mission and that he would go back to Stormwind and make case to make an exemption for us and be on to retirement from military missions." He said.

"Do you know what happened to him and Larkon?" Alura asked growing a little more worried.

"Larkon….yes I remember him, we used to visit an old dwarfs inn in an occasion." he commented.

"That would be me lad. What happened to the young lad and his captain when ye was ordered to flee?" Thark asked.

"You? Oh, yes….." He remembered the instance when he would saw Thark, remembering the dwarf to be him before going back to his experience. "A lot of us were injured, and the bodies were beginning to pile up. Perhaps half of us were unable to perform and some of the carts are filled with dead soldiers, who died along the way." He said, his face was contorting to unease as he told them.

"But what happened to Larkon? Where is he at is he okay is he injured, just what happened to him?!" Alura asked growing a little desperate for an answer.

"Lass…" Thark responded softly.

Before Thark could do anything, Alura noticed someone walk up to her. She looked up to see the Tauren shaman giving her a friendly smile.

"Let him rest dear child, he has endured and suffered much. Give him time for the answers of your questions and your patience will be rewarded. But in that time, let them rest." she requested.

"They volunteered." The man suddenly answered, assuring the shaman that he could go on.

"Volunteered for what?" Finan asked.

The man pointed at the injured men. "They survived like I did. So in order to survive, a small portion of us volunteered to take on as bait. Bait for the battle hungry orcs that were coming in on that night. Not everyone can ride the carts because it was filled with injured and dead, and not all can ride on horseback because many of our horses died out on the way and many also died out because of such horrid conditions." He told them. "Jorden ordered us to get out while he and some volunteers get chased on foot. And that also includes Larkon, as a volunteer. All of them were healthy and capable." He pointed out, looking for a reaction as he looked at them, frowning as he remembered.

"You mean they all stayed...and…" Alura tried asking as she was growing more horrified and sadden by the possible conclusion.

"I...I don't know, I never saw them again after that. They could still be alive, nonetheless they were brave men." the guard answered before adding to closure. "It took us a full week to get here, a full week of one hour sleep and then twenty three hour flight." He said before laying down and fully letting himself be isolated from the crowd around him

"Alura...maybe…" Thark tried to comfort Alura as he noticed her growing more increasingly sadden and horrified from the news.

"Excuse me but thank you…" Alura responded before getting up and exiting the tent. Everyone from her group watched her go feeling sad about the news they heard but also worry for their friend.

Alura walked out to somewhere that wasn't filled with as many people. She took a seat on a bench and just couldn't hold her emotions anymore. Her eyes look down at her hands that rested on her legs. Small steps seem to come after her, and before long a hand was over her shoulders.

"You are worried about the fate of this Larkon?" the Tauren Shaman asked as she looked at Alura with a soft smile on her face.

The tauren took a seat next to her as she looked and saw the draenei priestess wipes her eyes before answering. "I thought he promised…" she mumbled.

"You are close to him?" The Tauren asked as she took a seat next to Alura.

Alura looked at her and just nodded as her form of response. The Shaman smiled as she looked at the camp fire that was in front of them. "I have been helping these men recover since they have arrived. In that short time, they spoke of a human from their squad who was close to Draenei Priestess, and how they wished they could've taken his place for saving their lives. I take it your are this Priestess they spoke of?"

"I knew a lot of them, most of them knew me. I was an occasional visitor." Alura told.

The Shaman smiled as she kept watching the flames burn. "You must have a deep bond with one another. For him to make such a promise and for you to travel all this way and risk your life as much as his, just to see if he is alright."

"He is…..very dear to me and I would give for him."

The Shaman patted her on the shoulder gently. "Which is why you must not give up looking for him. I too am in search of someone dear to me thus my reasons for coming here. People have told me mixed answers but regardless of what I hear I will not give up in searching for him until I have found him. You must do the same if you hope to ever find him."

"I hope and by the Light when I find him for he is dear to me…" Alura said softly as her hands closed themselves on her chest.

"You will, I have faith in the spirits you will child of the Light." She told her.

"Who are you looking for?" Alura suddenly asked.

"My father. He is a great warrior of the Horde. When the War started he went to join in fighting. He had raised me and my brother well, but...I am in need of his wisdom for my brother...has chosen to follow a darker path. I've come to look for my father in hopes that we can save my brother from the visions the spirits shown him." The Shaman said softly.

"Alura, should we go to the cart now?" The Draenei heard Kinar.

"No, I think I will stay and do what I can to help. We've come all this way after all. And it depends on you Kinar if you want to stay and help….." Alura answered.

"Of course I want to stay. I haven't seen my father and brother physically in two years. And now that we're here when they need help badly, I have to stay for their sakes." Kinar answered.

When she saw Kinar give her nod and walked off, she looked back to the Shaman. "Thank you for this talk uh…"

"I am known as Serga Softcreek, and though I may sound like I am full of wisdom, I am still young as you are. Most of my wisdom I learned from my father who learned them from my teacher Thrall."

Alura giggled a little. "That's exactly what Larkon would say sometimes. That he got most of his wisdom from his captain."

Serga also giggled a little from that response. "It seems despite our beliefs and our alliances, we share the common goal of searching for people close to us. Which is why we should never give up searching for them until we find them with our own eyes. And yes that's another words of wisdom my father taught me."

Alura noded and stood up from the bench. "Thank you, Serga, for giving me hope once more."

"Thank you Alura for also clarifying. I am glad that I met you and would be sure that we will meet in a short while." Sega the shaman said as she stood up.

The two took their leave back into the tent where the night elf huntress walked up to Alura.

"I apologise for the slight suspicion earlier. I am Fylrae Dawnstalker and at the moment we are in need of more help. WIll you and your party stay and help us in any way you can?" Fylrae requested.

Alura nodded and stood up to follow. "We can cooperate."


	19. True to their Words

Deep within an abandoned ancient old abby sanctuary that has since been become flooded with water from rain and nearby rivers. Lazarus made his way into the ruins were he saw the enormous scale of the ruins and the deep waters that have flooded it. He stood there amassing the features between the walls of the broken ruins. The Death Knight waited in as the surrounding atmosphere dictated the the dark stormy echoe. The fireflies illuminated the surrounding area as his head looked around, looking for whatever sign that he had waited in.

The sound of disturbed waters reached his ears. A smirk resonated on to his face underneath his helmet as he hear someone appeared from the waters. "You are finally here….." He hypothesized as his metal clad steps step through the waters and approached its source.

There standing at the edge of the other side of the river lies a tall and slender Naga female with fine aqua blue scales covering her angular features and amber serpent like eyes. Like all female Nagas she possessed a humanoid torso merging into a serpent hind section, webbed clawed hands, gills on her neck, and Fin like projections that extended not only from the head, but coursed down the scaled back with a long sharp fin running down her spine to the end of her tail. She had mutations on her that included soft spines that sprout from her shoulders, extra fins adorning her arms, and swirls of indigo in her skin. Though still retaining the beautiful features of her once elven self, as a Naga Anomaly she has a number of extra mutations that help make her stand out. Her was mouth was slightly bigger as it appeared and was lined with rows of sharp venomous fanged teeth with an extendable tongue. She also possessed a slightly more muscular body with larger and thicker scales, and razor fins. Finally unlike most female Nagas, she had two arms instead of four.

Large and eager steps continued as the Death Knight approached. His arms reaching for her in the air as he looked on to her with amazement and wanting. The Naga took notice of the Death Knight and let out a loud hiss of hostility. She whipped her tail at Lazarus to grab him and pulled him up to meet eye to eye with him. Slowly opening her vicious fanged mouth while she slowly tried to squeeze the Death Knight with her tail.

Yet only a contact of his ice cold metal clawed finger on her neck ended the hostility. The Naga immediately retracted from the Death Knight and find shelter between the waters of the river, looking at him with wide spread eyes. "My…." Lazarus commented before whispering softly under the breath of his metal clad mouth. "My sweet…..Erecia."

From out of the blue he took out a small box, covered with the small worn out barnacles and corals. The Death Knight removed his clawed gauntlet and black glove from his hand, revealing his frozen grey colored dead skin and bone clawed fingers and thumb. He reached at the small lever at the side of the box and winds it up. He then let go.

The Naga watched in amazement as the box opened as the music started playing. It brought tears to her eyes as she stared in surprise at the box and looked back at the Death Knight. The Death Knight proceeded to take his hood off along with his metal helmet. Showing her his twisted dark and terrifying looking undead face with frozen grey and rotting skin, his unkempt shoulder-length black hair with sinister death knight blue glowing human eyes, and his large vicious-looking fanged teeth that were more exposed because of the lack of lips. The sight frighten even the Naga as she gave a gasp in horror at what she saw before her. Nevertheless Lazarus still had a calm yet soft look to his face despite how terrifying he looked.

"It's me Erecia, I have returned as I promised so long ago." He told her softly. Though his voice no longer verberate the once soothing sound of his voice when he was still alive, but now rather it has a small echo in each wane of his voice. Alas the naga did not heed it as her tail and body steadily swam towards the Death Knight. "The music lured you hear did it not?" He confidently guessed.

In response the naga nodded. She tried to speak yet only a throaty growl and moan would come out. The hands of the Death Knight reach down on her neck, feeling the deep scar that permanently impaired her once alluring voice. "I missed your voice that hindered me….."

Her hand reached out to his and grips it softly, closing her eyes as she focused her powers in whisper. "I have missed you…" The Death Knight heard her in his mind, though to him it was faint, as faint as the last breath of a dying man. Still it was enough for the Death Knight to make him caress the back of his hand against her cheeks.

"Worry not…...you will no longer suffer of loneliness and you no longer have to suffer the pain no longer…." He promised her through bended knees.

Once more the naga nodded as her hand reached his and gripped it tightly against her cheek, feeling the calloused hands of his frozen dead flesh. Yet it did not disgust her as the tears crept down her eyes, staining her cheek and the Death Knight's hand.

"It must horrify you to see what I have become. I...I have no words to excuse for my long absence even though I was betrayed and murdered. I did not think I would ever see you again even when I was given a second chance." he tried speaking softly to her.

"Eldon….." He faintly heard in his mind. At first it shocked him, almost angered him to hear his name. That's what he once were, but that name only brought him unwanted memories. Especially the memories of her falling down the ground, but in the end he let her, let her whisper it in his mind. Let it run through him as long as it was her who said it in to his mind, setting up the bridges that would close the gap between him and her.

"Erecia I need you once more like I have done every moment." Lazarus spoke softly to her as he removed his decayed hand and placed his glove and clawed gauntlet back on. He then pulled out a map from his pocket. One that showed the current location in which they stood as well as the picture of an artifact.

"Help me with my quest. Help me retrieve this artifact, because I will promise you and I will no longer live in our vile bodies we now have….no. It will give me the power to have what we once have Erecia….." He told her.

The Naga did not have second thoughts as her hand took the map and the drawn artifact from him. Closing her eyes once more as she brought her forehead against his. Her arms wrapping around his neck as she concentrated. "I will always be beside you….." The Death Knight heard before the naga let her hands go and swam away into the depths of the river.

"Be safe." he whispered to himself as he watched her swim deep into the river.

* * *

The dark cave of the depths echoed the screams of fellow soldier as he sat right there watching them. Paralyzed in fear as his arm hung down his body, trying to move in an effort to help pick up a sword and fight. Gurgling growls echo throughout his ears as he watched the black clad figure chomping its razor sharp mouth on the neck of his captain, now paralyzed through the ordeal yet still alive and feeling the pain surging through his dying body. Larkon tried to get up, screaming as his hand pick up a sword, painfully gripping the handle as he tried to get up and charge, but his injured body refused to do so and he falls back again, his back flat against the wall.

"Captain!" He screamed while the figure still kneeled on as the blood flows down his captain's neck. He could see the now that the eyes were lifeless, but the captain put his last glance on to his prodigy. The young warrior now facing the lifeless eyes as it is. "Captain!" He screamed once more, facing the desperation at the ordeal, facing the inevitable as the black clad figure stood up. The one who murdered all of his fellow squad mates, now standing with its back facing him.

The black of its body disappeared, revealing a grotesque state of frozen decaying flesh all around itself. Holes can be seen while the bones protrude to it. The warrior looked at the undying corpse, standing with no movement, but its breath can be heard as its chest rise and fall, echoing around the ruins. With nothing between the warrior to protect him from the undying heap of flesh. What seemed to be like an eternity of trance snapped the warrior as the undead suddenly moved it what he could see as the most horrid thing in his whole life. Thunderous cracks of the undying's bones screamed as its arms flailed around, its legs moving around with abandon, its head swaying back and n forth with unseen speed as the warrior looked on with its back still facing him.

His heart beat like thunder as he saw its horrid movements. Adrenaline surged through his body as fear took him over. No longer did he feel pain as fear trotted him up from the ground. His feet froze as a cracking sound found itself to his ears. The head of the undying corpse turned around behind in a full one hundred eighty degree spin. The sound of the spine snapping shrilled around in echo. Unforeseen horrors filled his eyes and mind as he looked at its features. The warrior turned his eyes into close as the undying charged with its mindless horrid scream.

The Warrior's eyes jolted up as he snapped back into reality from the nightmare he had seen. He found himself back in the backyard training area of his master Zanis. He was only clothed in torn trousers while his hands were wrapped in hard stubbed leather.

His head immediately snapped back as a large fist came crashing on him, putting him out from his own sense. He looked over to his companion Urak who was also dressed like him. Realizing that he was fighting, he put his arms up and tried to block but was immediately tackled by the much bigger man. Urak immediately raised his arms up in the air and then crashing it down. The human blocked and took hold on the arm of the orc and tried to clutch it tightly.

Zanis looked over at the fighting as he sat down in a double armed chair, watching in amusement while analyzing the fight.. "Water and food, please." He called over. The Night Elf Seleara and the Blood Elf Arseah went on to approach him carrying water while Seleara carried food in response to his request. The two put their platter down just beside the arm of the chair as the two then shifted their attention back at the fighting.

"What do you think about these Gladiators ladies?" Zanis asked out from random as he turned his head on them.

"Pardon my lord?" they both asked a little surprised by the random question.

"What do you think of them?" he asked as he continued to watch the fight with ever growing interest.

"Um...uh...they're both strong and skilled warriors my lord." Arseah answered with a slight blush on her face as she watched both of the warriors with slight concern. Especially for the human counterpart which was now clinging on to the arm of the orc, who was trapped with the legs and arms of the human warrior.

"How about you Night Elf?" Zanis turned to Seleara.

Seleara then averted her eyes in disgust from the short skirmish. "I'm sorry my Lord. I am not used to seeing such savagery enough to comment on. I value lives for that matter my lord."

"I see…" Zanis answered while taking a sip of water and turn his eyes back on the gladiators and saw the intensity flare up even more. Continuing to watch the fight between the Orc and the Human, not taking his eyes off for a split second.

The human was able to cling on to the arm of the orc warrior but yet the warriors free hand which curled into a fist was reaching with blows to the side of his head, while his head and arm were red due to the pressure the human put forth to his grip.

With that said the orc had enough as his knees allowed forth for his feet to finally plant on the ground. With a final soft blow to the side of his head for the warrior to be distracted. The orc used his free hand to grip his other wrist and immediately lifted all the weight of the human warrior up in the air. All of the others who were spectating and those who were also fighting stopped for a second and watched the strength of the orcish warrior put on to display by lifting the human warrior off from the ground. With a groaning moment, the orc suddenly thundered the human warriors body to the ground, creating a loud thunderous 'thud' of sound which can be heard throughout.

He immediately knocked the human warrior unconscious due to the force of the slam. The orc immediately followed up with lightning speed of scooting over and hammering the face of the human with his own. Urak continued to pound Larkon's face with brutal and powerful punches until his face became a bloody mess. Both the female blood elf and night elf looked away in horror from the brutality of the fight as it continued. Eventually Zanis stood up and waved his hand for the fight to stop.

Urak immediately stopped and looked towards Zanis. "Stop. I had enough." He said before shifting his eyes over to the three females. "Take the injured man to the basement where you will care for his injuries. And Night Elf, take the orc to the kitchen and instruct the cooks to give him a sweet sweet meal along with a nice refreshing bath for him as a reward."

The three girls noded and walked towards the two fighters. Rachel and Arseah tried to help Larkon up but had trouble because of how heavy he felt to them. Urak stood up and easily picked Larkon up for them. He nodded for them to show him the way to the basement. The three women looked at the Orc before walking off with him following them as he carried Larkon's unconscious body.

They placed him in a flat bed as Zanis was able to follow up on them and expresses his satisfaction at the orc. "You've done well to earn what you deserve warrior. Follow the Night Elf and she will take you to the kitchen table where you get a very nice feast for your own taste buds and to be followed up by a nice and sweet shower. You like that?"

Urak nodded. "Yes, I like that." He said.

Zanis pats his back. "Now purple skin, get the orc what he deserves." He ordered as the night elf proceeded to do her task.

"Before I leave, I would like to thank Larkon for a worthy fight." he answered as he sat down and rubbed some of his blood off his forehead he got from the fight.

"Oh my deepest apologies. Night Elf, can you take care of their injuries first." Zanis requested.

"Of course my lord." she bowed her head as he left.

Seleara took a rag to rinse in a nearby bowl of warm water and started cleaning the Orc's injuries. Arseah took a rag and did the same to Larkon who was still laying on the bed unconscious.

Rachel look towards the Orc as she brought some herbs for Seleara to use. "Why do you two have to be so brutal with one another if you two are friends?" she asked.

Urak turned to her and narrows. "Friend or not, I'm getting out of here." He blurted out.

"But you still seem to care about him, you did help bring him in here for us to treat." Arseah mentioned as she finished cleaning the blood off of Larkon's body.

"Like I said. I get to win, he gets to win, we would get out if it means hurting ourselves in training." He told her as she stopped Seleara from her actions as she tried to touch the purple bruise on his orbital.

"I guess that makes sense…" Arseah comments as she took a seat next to Larkon and started wrapping bandages around his bruised and sore injuries.

* * *

The Draenei Priestess and Tauren Shaman had their hands full for the day with the amount of seriously wounded that were coming in from a battle that happened not too long ago. Alura and Serga along with other healers had allot of trouble trying to treat everyone and soon found themselves becoming overwhelmed very fast. Alura tried to treat and heal as many heavily injured soldiers of different races and genders as best as she could. However she was forced to to have to move from one patient to another to try and help other healers with other injured soldiers. There was even one case where she had to help an Undead healer and Serga amputate the badly broken and infected leg off a Orc warrior. Blood, gore and fresh flesh on her hands were not special, she was used to it. It was just the screams of pain and anguish as she watched a Dwarf healer cut off the leg of the needed warrior were still not used to it.

She lost count of the time as she sat down for a moment, covered in her own sweat from overworking herself and her clothes covered in blood from all the injured she had to treat. She looked over to her friends Kinar and Serga and saw that they were not faring any better as they were having a hard time trying to treat all the injured warriors just as she and the other healers were having. It almost seemed it was never going to end.

"Alura!" she heard a Night Elf healer call to her. "I need some help here with this Paladin."

"On my way." she said as she stood back up and walked over to where the paladin was at. She stopped mid way when she noticed Moira and Joven walking by towards a tent. Both of them appeared to have been returning from the major battle as their armors were both heavily damaged and worn.

She also noticed her father wearing a full set of Paladin Justicar battle armor in place of his ceremonial He wore a set of Paladin Holy Warrior Plate Armor. Including the chestguard, shoulderguards, wristguards, handguards, and leggaurds. Over this he still wore his Tabard of the hand of Argus along with a bluish grey cloak. He also still carried crystal like sword on the right of his back.

She saw her opportunity and decided to take it while she could. "Kinar help with the Paladin please I need to go have a word with a few people."

"Wait where are you going?" Kinar asked as she struggled to hold a Troll warrior down for a Gnome healer to wrap bandages on him.

"I'll be back." Alura said as she made her way over to the tent that Joven and Moira walked into. Before she could even enter she can already hear the two in a heated argument.

"Moira, likewise he said that he will not participate in the war. He said that he had done his duties on long back in the third war and the campaign in Northrend. And his elven wife had proved to be the reasons why along with his children." Alura heard her father.

Alura heard Moira grunt in annoyance mixed with disappointment. "Damn him. If I had his size and weapon I would have jumped through the thick fray of a battle and wreck havoc while having all the glory after." Alura heard Moira follow up a sigh and comment. "But Nonetheless if he would not participate because of his Elven whore of a wife, then so be it."

"She is no whore Moira. I once fought along side him and other adventures. I have met her personally and she is nothing as what you call her. So hold your tongue when you choose your words in speaking about them." Joven warned.

"Joven I was forced to call a retreat just a moment ago must we get into another argument about that nonsense?" Moira asked.

"We wouldn't be in this mess if you had just heed to my warnings." Joven commented.

Before the two could continue, they soon noticed Alura standing close to the entrance, with her arms crossed and with a not so happy look on her face.

"Alura?" Joven exclaimed in disbelief as he looked around the surroundings to see if she was with somewhat, but continued on and approached her. "What are you doing here? Who is with you?"

"I came here to help in the war effort. Me and Kinar volunteered to help heal the injured and sick. I also came here to talk to you about why I haven't gotten a response from the letters I've sent you." she answered.

"What? I never got any letters didn't you get any of mine?" Joven asked in complete shock.

"Waite you've been sending letters too?" she asked a little surprised.

"Yes everyday I write a letter and have it mailed to you immediately. Haven't you gotten any of them?" Joven asked deeply confused.

Alura then turned her gaze towards Moira. "Care to explain to my father why neither of us haven't gotten any of our letters?" she asked seriously.

"Is there any evidence that you have priestess to come at such an absurd accusation?" Moira countered right back.

"Your reputation for harsh acts that I've been told from many, and the fact that a friend of mine kept a close watch on one letter I sent, just to see it be burned from your orders." Alura answered.

"Speculations and more speculations." He then turned to Joven with a grimace. "Care to believe what your daughter have said Vindicator Joven? Not when rumors spread about a such intimate relationship between her and one of Jorden's men." He reminded with an insulting tone.

Joven ignored what Moira have just told, trying to hold back on to just not outright lashing out on him with unhindered words. He only grunted in response to that and turns his attention back on his daughter, putting back his soft expression. "Alura, you need to go home. This is not a place for you to be in."

"Why, so I can just sit by while the people I care fore risk their lives in this fight. I used to be forced to do that but not anymore. I'm not sitting by and watching my friends and family suffer when there something I can do to help." she told him placing left hoof down.

Moira took his opportunity and purposely makes a thudding noise of wood with his boots as he walk on towards the father and daughter. "Quite bold to say that, Priestess Alura. Care to say that you legal issues on trespassing inside the barracks months back. And what would be to you Joven? Does her bothering to save Jorden's men bother you?" He confidently stated.

Joven turned looked towards Moira with a serious look. "You stay out of this. When we're done trying get out of the mess you put everyone in this camp at risk at. You and I are going to have a talk about this letter issue because I've been sending letters and its forced my daughter to come all the way here because of it."

Joven then turned towards his daughter. "And I want to see you in my tent this afternoon. We're not done here with this little predicament of you putting yourself in harm's way." Joven said before exiting the tent.

Moira watched Joven leave with a irritated look on his face as he turned to look back at the Priestess.

"You my mistress have allot of nerve to come here after the trouble I've been going though to keep your father focused on his special mission the King has given him." he told her.

She then turned her gave back to Moira. "What did you do with Jorden and his squad?" she demanded.

Moira just shrugged his shoulder and answers. "I sent them to a mission, half their men are dead or missing and the other half are alive. So the results are….. Mixed." He told her with sarcastic enthusiasm and insult.

"You had no right to send them on that mission. Just as you have no right to burn me and my father's letters from reaching us. King Varian will hear of this and you will pay for what you've been doing." she threatened him.

Moira once more shrugs it off and answers harshly while smiling. "Naievity surely suits you. Varian would do nothing of course priestess. Yes, he holds power but the court influences so greatly that nonsense concerns about military corruption that you threaten me with would be just squashed like an ant in the street. It is all about kissing rears of people, priestess. There is no such thing as justice! It is all about who is on top!" He blasted her.

She bit her lip and balled her hands into tight fists as she tried to hold back from doing something drastic such as slap or punch this man. Moira soon walked up closer to her and got up very close to her personal space. Enough to make her shiver a little in fear as he stared at her with a perverted gaze, which forced her to look away.

"Now there is a way I could help you find the rest of Jorden's missing squad...but."

She raised her brow and thought about what he had said. She turned her head to look up to him in response. "What would it be?" She softly asked, letting her concern for her friend get the best of her as she thought about what he would offer.

Moira smiled as he let her hands move in slow motion, his eyes travelled over the marvels of the draenei's beautiful features, letting the perverted gaze of the young general hover over at the draenei landing his eyes on to the full of her large breasts. Within moments, his hand had reached to the upper parts of her plump rear between her waist. "A…..personal offer can be considered." He told her lustfully.

She let out a fearful gasps and retracted his hand away from her. "Don't touch me…" she said softly. Scared yet submissive in a way from the sudden actions he just placed on her.

"It's the only way you will be able to find them. So what's it going to be. What are you willing to give to save them?" he asked.

She soon stepped away from him and started making her way out of the tent. "If I have to I'll find my own way but if you ever do that again. I swear to you, I'll…" she was unable to finish her threat as she just rushed off out of there before the situation could get any worse than it already was.

Moira watched her leave and rush off until she was out of his sight. With an angry sigh he layed back on a table and crossed his arms.

"Struggle all you want Priestess. In the end you'll realize you'll have no other choice."

* * *

The soft calm and soothing sounds of the old music box sung to Lazarus as he sat on a large set of ruins close to the river. No matter how many times he played it he would ever get tired of its sweet and soothing sound as he played it. Time and time again he repeated the soothing aurora of musical rhythms the old gift she had gave to him. Fifteen years that has happened way back, and now it still the most beautiful thing he had ever heard in his ears. He did not keep track of time as he sat and waited for Erercia to return from the depths of the river with the Artifact. Still his mind and focus seemed to only be lost in the sound of the music the box played as he continued to sit and listen deeply into its charming rhythm.

He soon snapped back into reality when heard the sounds of human voices and metal clapped steps close by. He closed the music box and placed it back up before quietly making his way over to a nearby ledge. There below him he saw the a group of humans he easily recognized them as members of the Scarlet Crusade from their red colored Armor.

He watched quietly as search through the ruins for something. From he observed he counted only six of them, all human. However it wasn't until he saw another member enter that they stood into attention.

She was fierce human female with a slender yet rather muscular build, which gave off a clear air of regality and command. She had scared tan colored skin, cold blue eyes, clearly defined full lips, and long messy orange colored hair kept tied in a long braid that reaches to her back.

She wore a light full-body garment that was white in color, affording both agility and protection. For armor she wore a red breastplate with accompanying pauldrons, vambraces, gauntlets, cuisses, greaves, and boots, all metallic with a similar red color scheme. Over this she wore the infamous Tabard of the Scarlet Crusade with the Scarlet colored leather Belt wrapped around her waist.

In terms of weapons the woman she carried a one handed sword sheathed in a scabbard on her left side. On the right the right of her back she carried a six-bladed short staff with a sun glowing jewel in the center of the blades.

"Inquisitor Kendra. We discovered the presence of an Undead's recent activities but we have yet to find the fiend." one Scarlet Crusade soldier reported.

"It's close...I can feel it. And this one is no ordinary undead either." the woman named Kendra mentions with a cold hearted tone to her voice.

"Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh." A soft sound echoed. The commander turned and saw the men were gurgling in anguish, saliva was bubbling out from their mouths as their eyes rolled out from their head. She could see all of them were suffering from a form of undeath as she tried to cast off whatever it was, but everything else were useless.

"Captain…." One of the men moaned as then, to their horrors, his legs suddenly broke apart with ice particles and shards around him. All else his body looked immediately like as if it was covered in ice for years on. The blood did not seep out from as it froze out.

Without so much as even bothering to look at them, she drew her short staff and casted a fireball spell to shatter and burn what was once her men now frozen in ice. Her remaining men stared in horror as she kept a calm and emotionless look on her face.

"That is quite cruel even by Scarlet Crusade member standards." the remaining few members and their captain heard a dark chilling voice echoed from the darkness. Only Kendra stayed emotionlessly quiet and calm while her remaining men began to panic as they heard metal footsteps approaching them.

Lazarus soon stepped out of the darkness and revealed himself. "Are you all so desperate to remove the curse of the Undead that you turn on and kill one another without a second thought?" Lazarus asked them, primarily towards Kendra.

"There is difference in remaining loyal to the end and foolishly killing yourself, by being blind." Kendra replied as she calmly trotted her staff beside her.

Lazaurs only noded very slightly. "Such fanaticism, it will be your downfalls. For you fools no nothing what you tamper with."

The Inquisitor seemed to only smirk at this threat. "Kill him." she ordered her men.

Lazarus smiled under his helmet. "Pathetic lot, they are unsuited for the rage of war." He commented as he watched them froze. It only took him seconds to put his frosts over their bodies as they started to decay in ice without notice.

One of the men charged, but just as he moved, his legs also broke apart and falls down to the ground. His body was embedded with ice, and just as his body falls down, it also broke apart. In response, the Captain put her anger on the others.

"Do you not have-" She stopped in mid sentence as her men shared their faith, their bodies also encased in ice like as if they were frozen for decades under the call chill wind of the North.

She quickly turned back towards the Death Knight just in time to block a strike from his runesword with her short staff. When Lazarus tried freezing her with his frost powers she merely melted the ice away with her fire magic.

The Death Knight pushed her out from the fray and watched the woman land on her back. His eyes glowed in three different colors, green, red and blue as his runes glowed in the same manner. His jaw dislocated from the socket of his mouth as heaping green gas of undeath come out to surround him. The Battlemage developed a vortex of fire around herself to protect herself from harm.

The Death Knight charged through the fiery vortex and swung his runeblade. The battle mage tried to block his blow with her staff, but to her surprise, it shattered immediately under the weight of its blow. She realized that the Death Knight froze her staff when he tried to envelop her in ice.

"Damn…" she grunted under her breath as watched her staff shatter in tiny ice fragments.

Lazarus prepared to deliver the finishing blow but only for Kendra to cast a fireball spell quickly to his face to blind him for a split second. The Death Knight hissed in anger as he gripped his metal faceplate of his helmet. Thanks to the powerful death runes and its powerful plate metal the fireball did little to no damage. When he turned back towards the Inquisitor, he found that she was gone in a moment. With a loud grunt of frustration, Lazarus placed his rune sword back behind the right of his back and sighed. It was around that time he heard the water move close by as he turned to see the naga had returned.

The Death Knight heard her soft whimpers, seeing that Erecia had known that he was attacked, Nonetheless a turn for him makes it end. "I'm Alright." he assured.

He could tell that she still looked scared for his well being. Not that there was much left of his well being to be taken care of to begin with. He walked over to her as she handed him the small chest that contained the artifact he seeked. Opening it to to see it was still inside he closed it back and sighed in relief.

"Thank you Erecia. I promise you with this I will make things right for us and this world." he spoke to her as softly as he cold and terrifying echoing voice of death would let him.

He turned around and was about to walk away until he felt his black cloak tug on him. He stopped and turned around to see the naga holding onto his cloak with a sad look on her face. She placed a hand on his and channeled her voice to say. _"Let me come with you. Please, don't leave me alone. I thought I had lost you once and it nearly destroyed me."_ she begged softly in a sad tone.

"Then….." He spoke as he moved down on to bend his body to meet with her beautiful face. "As promised like we did before in our youth….." He told her as he gripped her hand and answer the same way she did. "I will always be beside you." He whispered as his feet froze the waters beneath and allowed him to walk on the raging river with the naga.

"But...Erecia, I am longer the man I once was. And my quest will lead me down a dark path that I will have to pay many consequences for my actions. Something I do not wish for you to bare." he told her while still holding her hand. Once more she grips her hand. "Stay and wait for me…..please" He told her.

 _"But Eldon, that is what you told me so long ago. And you, what happened? How did you become this? I'm so sorry I've caused you this suffering…"_

"I am different now. But I will come back, that much as has not changed."

 _"But…"_ she stopped when the Death Knight turned and gave her a soft gentle huge. It felt Ice cold and it made her body shiver but she didn't care, she returned the hug with equal amount of passion.

"I will come back just as I have today fulfilling the promise I made long ago. And if Death could not stop me from keeping that promise, nothing will stop me from keeping this promise to return to you again." he whispered into her mind. Then taking out his pouch, removing a rusty old cross necklace. "This holds true to my word…"

He places it in her hands and pats her upper hand softly. She held it close to her as he lets her hands go and begins to walk away on the frozen ice trail back to shore.

"True to my word….."


	20. A Father to Argue

Outside the camp somewhere at a fair enough distance. The Rogue Troll, Kor, stayed in a crouched position keeping a sharp eye on most of everyone with his small telescope. He could've swore that the information he had gathered that the Priestess would be at this camp. Still he wasn't having much luck finding her.

As he stopped and put his telescope up he sighed and pulled out his flask to drink some water before he heard something moving to his direction. Thinking quickly but being careful and quiet with his movements, he slipped into the shadows to stay hidden. He watched and scanned his surroundings for what could be heading his way. A sound of dust and rock contacting hard leather got his attention as he turned to his side and saw a blindfolded night elf walking by and rest beside him.

"Oi mon, whatcha be doin here?" Kor asked and receives a deafening silence. "Cha, no matter mon, I be gettin me moneh a bet them blood elf don't trust meh that I can do it myself." Kor said to him as he put his attention back at the scope.

The Troll immediately put his eyes onto a figure of white that appeared to be his moment of truth. Peeking through the lens of his scope as it moves around left and right, letting the familiarity of what he saw back then at the church. A Short draenei, with white hair. That's the description that he needed to match, and indeed it matched as he looked on carefully. The troll put on a smile on his face underneath his mask as he let out a sigh of relief and a groan of happiness.

"Ah beh, them discription what a beh needed." He said as he puts the scoped down and watched the figure from afar, seeing now that it is proceeding somewhere along with others that he didn't recognize, realizing that it was friends, helpers, or whatever word he could have that would describe a group.

Kor turned at the Night elf and smiled in assurance. "Ah, you beh right fo that blood elf be sendin you in fo me." He said as jumped over a rock that was slightly below the elevation he was.

The Night Elf stopped him for a moment and pointed back towards the white haired draenei.

"What?" Kor asked as he pulled his scope back to look back at the Priestess.

There he saw a powerful looking male Draenei Paladin who had the same hair and skin color as the Priestess approach her and began talking with her. Kor's smile turned upside down into a frown when he realized who that was.

"Ah shit...that be Vindicator Joven. The Paladin Adventurer who helped slay the Lich king Mon…" Kor commented before adding a degrading opinion. "Nah, the seven foot human be lookin more dangerous than him." He said as he began to skip down on the rocks gently and swiftly.

With that said, the Night Elf used a magical stone to change his appearance to look like a normal night elf and hide all his demonic traits. He soon followed through with that troll's movements as they blended through the racially mixed garrison.

* * *

"Alura please, you can't stay here it's much too dangerous." Joven begged his daughter calmly as the two of them stood in his tent.

Alura calmly stood as she sternly replied. "I'm not staying here….." She told him as she awaited his reply.

"What are you doing then?" He asked.

"I'm going to draenor to know whereabouts of the others and help others on the way in. I don't care what you say or decide or what you will say for myself but I'm going." She answered quite firmly.

"You can't be serious have you gone mad or something?' Joven questioned completely shocked at what she just told him her intentions are.

"No father I haven't gone mad I simply know what I need to do." she answered.

"Listen to yourself! Go to Draenor at a time like this?" he angrily stated.

"Does it bother you that my own will and decision differs from yours father? I don't even think that you know what I have been doing in Stormwind, those who were out there are my friends since my time spending there in the keep at Stormwind. I will help them whether there is danger or not." She said.

Joven then turned an accusing eye at her. "Don't tell me you are doing this for that…..man, Moira mentioned."

"Of course he's my friend just like the rest of his squadron are. Why would that bother you? We both know Moira is telling lies to make me and Larkon look bad and you know very well that everything he has said is untrue." Alura stated.

"I know Moira is spewing nothing but lies, but that doesn't mean what you are doing is right either. Whatever 'relationship' you had with one of Jorden's men should not and will not be the one that dictates whatever decisions you are doing ALURA." he tried to convince her, wording out her name with a high tone.

"And who better to dictate my decisions but my own father who doesn't even know anything about my life anymore and is better off being nothing but a mere stranger!" she shouted at him in anger.

"Alura don't you dare raise your voice at me! I am doing what is-"

Alura immediately interfered through the sentence. "What you are doing is neglecting me since the moment I was able to walk and talk. What I am doing now is no longer recognizing YOU as a figure of great importance in my life." She told him with smitten words. "I thought I was able to rekindle with you on the night we were dancing together, but I was wrong, all too wrong when you immediately left the city the day after and went back to Exodar to be among with your 'colleagues.'

"Alura that was not the case at all it was…"

"Oh when is it ever not a case whenever you go off and leave me to do things you think are more important than trying rekindle the shattered relationship you purposely caused yourself. When are you ever going to stop and realize the only person you have to blame for the problems with your family is you?!" she demanded out of him and then adding. "And also father, I think now that Moira wasn't really lying, I think truly now that I had a better relationship with Larkon in these past months than you ever had in my entire life. I really think it was.."

"Alura….please don't say that."

"Well it's the truth and it's the reason why I'm here and why I'm going to Draenor. If you even care or want to do what's best for me then just stay out of my life and let me help him." she demanded.

Joven shamefully look at his own, reflecting on himself back as his eyes averted from hers as he is feeling nothing inside himself but regrets after regrets after regrets as he look throughout the years on what time he did with his daughter. He looks back at her with regretful eyes and brought his words from his lips. "You can go…..Alura, you have my permission." He told her softly.

She was slightly taken back by this, she was planning to go even if he didn't give her his permission. Nevertheless without any more words she just stormed out of his tent to see where else she could be useful at the moment. On her way she watched how the others had been making themselves useful. Finan was conducting some plant experiments with Kinar along with the help with some of the Horde and Alliance's mages and druids. Thark was drill sergeant soldiers into trying to properly shoot accurately. She hadn't seen the night elf woman, Fylrae, much. She guessed it maybe because she's required to do allot of things outside the camp. She finally returned back into the healer's tent to help Serga with more injured soldiers. At the corner of her eye she spotted Quon sitting inside writing in his book.

He was now wearing a new different outfit. Consisting of an old loose tattered dark grey-colored kimono-like attire with the sleeves torn off and matching martial art gi like pants. A red otaiku with a white sash in the middle around his waist with a ring holding it together. He still wore his red scarf and dark brown prayer beads around his neck, as well as the bandages wrapped around his forearms and ankles up to his fingers and feet. All tucked under his battle worn wooden fingerless gauntlets and greaves that were both held on by wrapped rope. Finally he still wore his simple yet old straw coolie hat with a silk string chinstrap, and straw sandals.

The thin delicately balanced shaktani sword that had a green hilt and a blue tassel attached at the end of the pommel was now slung on the right of his back. While his alcoholic jug was still secured on his left hip attached to his sash.

"From the injured flesh through the injures soul. War have plagued innocent people, they tore families. But war also brings people that was not to be. Blood Elves along with Humans stood united. Orcs amongst Night Elves stood as brothers and sisters. Race no longer matters when unity is key." Quon muttered under his breath as he wrote down.

"So you are a Lorewalker Pandaren?" Serga asked softly as she finished wrapping the bandages on an injured Dwarf and moved towards an Injured human.

"I am a Lorewalker yes. I write the stories and tales from the personal experiences of the people whom I met. The story spans from Blood Elves coming together with humans to the stories of orphans of racial difference being siblings." He told her.

"My father is an Orc warrior. Long ago, me and and my older brother were the only survivors of a skirmish caused by the Scourge. An Orc took us both in and raised us as his own. He showed us the good of the world and allowed us to make the choices that would forever be our lives. And ever since I chose the path of the Shaman, I have never regretted my decision since then." she mentioned. "The effects of war are almost as rewarding as they are devastating in many ways."

"Agree, agree. War rewards more ways than one than it destroys one than more that it seemed to be." Quon said.

Alura looked towards Serga. "Your father was an Orc?"

"Foster father, I was just an adolescent foal when I met him." She told her.

"What happened, you said something about the Scourge leading a Skirmish?" Alura asked.

"Just a simple story of how war devastates and how it rewards. And you'll know the rest when I said it." she said.

Alura thought for a moment as she was using her healing magic to heal a wounded Orc soldier from a very deep gash in his chest. Around that time Kinar came rushing into the tent.

"Hey I just got word that we have permission to go to Draenor. From your dad, how did that happen?" She asked confused.

Thark entered the tent soon after. "Lass, can I have a word with ye please?" he requested.

Alura turned to the Old dwarf and went to his side. "What would you like to discuss Thark?" She asked.

"Lass, I know ye and ya father have not been in the best of relationships. And I agree with ye on many things that he shouldn't have done to ya. However there are things I do agree with him on as well. Such as going to Draenor at a time like this when we are just five guys vs. an army of Old Horde Orcs. I think we should stay here until we get more info on Jorden's Squadron." Thark mentioned.

Alura shook her head. "I know, but I already heard what I heard from them. I will go whether or not you will go. It is my choice to help a friend that desperately needs my help. And besides, we are not fighting an army of orcs, we just….go around the safe lanes where the army had controlled the areas." She told him.

Thark just sighed and shrugged." Alright lass but like I said us five ante going to be much help to ye without some more back up. What ye need is a good tracker, and I think I know the person for the job. Follow me." Thark offered.

Alura titled her head slightly on what he meant but nevertheless followed Thark to where he was heading towards. It didn't take them long to arrive at the shooting range where the night elf Fylrae was practicing her archery and making perfect bullseye shots with her bows and arrows.

"Ms. Fylrae Dawnstalker here is a Huntress and a former Night Elf Sentinel. She specialises in all kinds of fields such as marksmanship, survival, tracking, and scouting. If we are going to be able to find that lad and survive in Draenor, she's going to have to be our best bet." Thark mentioned. "I have been taking to de young elf, good hunter, good. Fer once I would say that she would be helping, as I have talk to her if she be interested in joining us fer this." He added.

"Hello Ms. Dawnstalker, my name is Alura, a priestess of the Light, I am the one who you had run into you earlier. " Alura introduced as she offered her hand in raise.

Fylrae looked at Alura for a small moment, apparently scanning and observing her. She then looked back at the dummy from a distance and made another bullseye head shot with one of her arrows, directly between the dummy's eyes. "I see…"

Thark then looked up to the Draenei. "Aye lass, she doesn't talk. Hunters give secrets to their fellow hunters, and I know why she doesn't. Tragic, tragic." Thark shook his head in sympathy.

"Oh um I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you or anything…" Alura apologised.

Fylrae did not say anything and just kept practicing her archery with more perfect hits with her arrows.

"Um...I was wondering if...um, I have a friend and…" Alura began before Fylae suddenly but very quietly interrupted.

"You need my help to find him in Draenor?" Fylrae asked softly. Retracting her bow back to the sheath of her back as she approached the dummy and takes the arrows from it. "A friend….was it?"

Alura nodded softly and answers. "Yes, I want to help him. We would just be circling around the controlled areas to search for the whereabouts, nothing more." Alura told her.

The Night Elf carefully looked at the Draenei for a moment. "Does he mean that much to you?"

"Why do you have to ask?" Alura countered.

The Night Elf calmly answered. "I lost my only family….that's why I won't let anyone get in the same situations that I had been." She told her.

Alura was quiet for a long moment before she noded her head. "Yes…"

Fylrae placed her arrows inside her quiver on the right of her back and called. "Others would be coming in by later, it be best that we should start packing things up for whatever we need. The other priests, druids, and Shamans have arrived to tend the wounded inside the tent, perhaps they need no longer your assistance here. It be better we help others while we search for your friend." She suggested.

"Wait, you're saying you would help us?" Alura asked in disbelief.

When Fylrae noded calmly in agreement she then walked off to get things ready. Alura soon rushed back into the tent to tell Kinar.

"Kinar pack your things quick, we'll be leaving for Draenor soon." Alura alerted.

"What?" Kinar asked in shock while she was helping Serga cast a Tauren warrior's badly injured leg. Accidently moving the leg a little and causing the tauren warrior to let out a painful shout. "Oh dear I am so sorry just hold on."

Kinar quickly rushed over to a bowl containing some liquid medicine with crushed herbs in them. She carefully had the Tauren warrior drink it to put him to sleep before turning back to her friend. "You mean we're leaving now?"

"There are others who will take care of them." Alura replied as a bunch of priests and druids were starting to flood the tent.

"I know but it's, wow too much at once…" Kinar sat down and had to rest for a small moment.

"With this knowledge at hand, I see that my place is needed somewhere else. Perhaps in the search for your friend I will be able to find my family. So if you are willing, may I join you in your quest." Serga requested.

"You will?" Kinar suddenly turned at the question.

"Of course, the spirits have need of me somewhere else other than here. And I see the people I consider friends are in need of as much help as they can get for their search. So I will accompany you for our goals are different but in the end are similar for we both are in search of people close to us." the Shaman answered politely.

Alura then trotted in for a comment. "Thank you Shaman Serga, your help with us and to others would be a great need." She said before bowing in a gesture of great respect between the two,

Meanwhile, Thark was in his tent gathering and packing his stuff and supplies for the trip to Draenor.

"Well I'll be damned, you're still kicking after all this time?" Thark heard a familiar voice he did not ever want to hear. Turning around he saw Moira standing at the entrance of his tent.

Thark just glared at him with his only one good eye and continued to try and pack up while trying to ignore him at the same time.

"So how's retirement been for you Iron bullseye, I would've thought you enjoy being a relic by now." Miora insulted with a smirk. "Like most dwarves, ale is your wife, nothing more, nothing less am I correct?"

The dwarf scoffed an answer. "Aye, what ye even know. Ye ferverin whatever ye want. Aye, you never change one thing on ye Moira, still that same ole womanizing bastard that I met them years ago." He insulted.

Moira only laughed. "Womanizing is good for me old dwarf. Beautiful women sitting on my mantle every night with red wine is better than a drunken dwarf sitting in behind a rusty counter in any moment of time."

"What d'ye want? Ye didn't come into me tent just to insult an old retired veteran did ye?" Thark answered getting straight to the point since he was clearly not in the mood for the young general's bullshit.

"I was just wondering that you were doing here alongside The Draenei? And what you're planning on as it's pretty obvious you're going somewhere?"

Thark finished up packing his stuff. "That be none of ye buisness…"

Moira walked up and got up in Thark's personal space. "And you know very well I can make it my personal business."

"Aye that be correct. But I be telling the truth when I say it be none of ye buisness."

"Where are you going with Priestess and how do you know her? What's your relationship with her?"

"Lad, if ye want me honest answer here's me answer." Thark suddenly moved his cloak a little and gently tapped his hand on the handle grip of one of his flint pistols. Moira quickly backed off his personal space and stood quiet. "Ye piss off and stay away from the lass. I ante wanting to start something but I will end whatever ye try to do and I promise ye it won't end well with ye either." he threatened.

Moira just glared at him angrily and stepped aside to let the old dwarf walk pass him.

"We're not done you know, not by a longshot." Moira threatened, before adding. "I don't know why that fine woman is with an old dwarf. She should be laying on my bed with a fine stallion like me."

"Aye but ye best heed me warning. Because I swear to ye Moira if ye do anything to the lass ye won't be much more of a stallion after I'm done skinning ye alive." Thark said before finally walking off.

"Is that the same threat you wanted to say to me after what happened to your son after you retired?" Moira asked.

"Lad, don't push me." Thark responded slightly angered.

The dwarf trotted off, looking back at the malicious smile that the general had on his face. The dwarf huffed air from his nostril and turned back at the road and resuming his stance on walking forward back to the evacuation center. Sometime later Thark finally arrived where to meet with the rest of the group. Already seeing Alura, Kinar, and Quon already packed and ready. He also noticed the Tauren Shaman lady coming along as she unloaded her things.

"Hey Thark we're almost ready we're just waiting on Finan to get here." Kinar alerted.

"That's fine lass, let me get my things ready." Thark answered as he placed his package up in the cart.

"Hey, are you okay?" Alura asked noticing Thark looked angry but at the same time nervous.

"Aye, fergot me own title back in me days." He told her.

Alura was about to respond until she suddenly heard Finan arrive with Fylrae, yelling as he approached the group.

"Are you people INSANE?! Going to DRAENOR?! At a time like THIS?!" The Gnome yelled in frustration and shock. Looking up at to the sky he continued his rant. "Why of oh why all mighty Divine Light was that when I was so close to retirement, I have to get dragged into this. Now just when I thought I was going to jump to safety out of the frying pan. I'm now going to land into the fire."

"It is a decision that you would decide if you will come or not?" Alura told him gesturing at the others specifically to the Tauren. "Serga perhaps would be harvesting exotic plants along the way, we will be in the safe lanes within allied controlled lands."

"Alura, in Draenor there is no such thing as safe lanes. But I might as well come along you people won't last a day in that hellhole without me having to make sure Thark doesn't get you shot somewhere like I always end when I come with him." Finan gave up and entered into the cart with his things.

"Priestess Alura, gnome chemists will be assisting during my harvests along with other adventurers. It will assure that with our numbers along the road in the allied controlled lands, we will be safe." Serga commented.

"And with my druid skills to improve and search them out better, we should be fine. Also think about it Finan, you get both a Tauren Shaman and a Druid to help with your work. And perhaps you can even meet one of the cute gnome scientists we would get in the ride with" Kinar mentioned.

Finan only sighed as laid his head back. "Young lady I've already been married once, had to get to get a divorce after I found out what a pain in the ass it was to be in a relationship, and since then both of our lives have been for the better. Though I am still happy to keep a good friendship with my former spouse."

The group heard the Night Elf whistle loudly all of a sudden to call for her mount. Within a short view moments, the group saw a rare Vicious Warsaber come rushing towards the group and stopping in front of it's master.

The large cat adorned with the snow white fur and black stripes purred as the hands of the night elf patted the feline behind the ears. The feline was adorned with beautifully crafted elven designed armor, the metal covering the vulnerable neck of the creature, coupled with its very unique color in a light shade of purple with golden trims on the very edges of the armor. Other plates of armor covered her shoulders, her legs with different sets of unique design to match its appearance while her head was covered by large helmet with a protruding short metal bladed tusks in each of its side, while a purple saddle stood atop of it. Strapped to the shoulders were the favored three-bladed moonglaive weapons of the night elf Sentinels. It seemed to be heavy, but yet the feline did not show any signs of discomfort as it showed was moving comfortably.

Despite appearing battle hardened and vicious, she still looked very beautiful. In moment later on the others were surprised to see such a beautiful animal before them, to which the Draenei and along with the Human Worgen trotted in curiosity as they walked towards the the two.

"How beautiful." Alura mentioned as her eyes hovered over the white coat of fur.

"Her name is Kuura. She is my closest and most clever friend since she was a newborn cub." Flyrae told them as she moved her hand away and allowed the two priestess to pet her if they wished.

The feline purred even more as more hands began petting and comforting the senses of the feline. After a few moments then on the two retracted their hands from the feline.

"Flyrae, I thank you for helping us." Alura said.

Flyrae didn't say anything but she did nod to Alura as she hopped onto Kuura and waited for Alura and Kinar to hop in.

"Alright now that we be all here. We be ready to set off?" Thark asked as he took the driving position for the cart. Serga and Quon climbed up and nodded as Thark began to signal the horse to go on.

"WAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" A Small scream entered their ears.

Everyone turned towards Finan after he requested the 'waite.' Finan quickly lept out and rushed over towards his tent at the distance.

"What is it Finan?!" Thark asked.

Finnan was running over to them to catch up as a small bag was of alchemy materials was inside. He trotted over to them and climbed up "Aye, forgot some of my important alchemy ingredients we'll be needing." He said through tired breaths.

"Ye had us all stop for that?' Thark called out.

"Um yes because without these if we find anyone close to death this stuff should help. As lately according to my research, these potions should keep someone stable during serious surgery. So if we find anyone close to death this will save their butts. And will definitely save ours if shit hits the fan."

"So you got what you needed?" The others asked

"Yes now let's go before I change my mind with this decision."

"Aye, let's start the adventure. Aye miss me old trought the danger, made me fill like a young lad again." Thark said as he swings the collars, signaling the horse to start trotting towards the large dark Portal.

* * *

Joven sat alone in his tent, deeply sad and depressed after his last talk with Alura. She was right, for all that he's done he doesn't deserve to be an important person in her life no more. Every decision he has made has lead their relationship from bad to worse. Trying to rekindle or fix only seemed to be another one of those bad decisions.

"Um, Vindicator Joven?" he heard a night elf soldier call to him.

Joven didn't even bother to look towards him as he was just in such a horrible state at this moment. "Now is not a good time."

"Anchorite Avera is here to see you." th night elf told him which sure enough got Joven's attention.

Joven quickly got up and exited outside to see a female Draenei who looks identical to his daughter, Alura, in almost every way. The key major differences being that her skin was a normal blue color, and her hair was back length and black in color. She wore a beautiful and elegant silver robe hooded dress that had a sapphire trim and the lower portion parted at the sides, matching fingerless gloves and trousers. She wore silver necklace with a sapphire crystal shard around her neck, silver bracelets with matching sapphires on her wrists, and a belt with a sapphire buckle. Finally she had a pure white silver veil covering the lower half of her face as she kept her hood off her head.

"Avera?" Joven asked in shock to see his wife here of all place.

"Hello Joven, it's been a while." she said softly as she walked up and hugged him softly while laying her head on his chest.

"What are you doing here?" Joven asked.

"I heard that Alura was going to this place to help, I thought that I might catch up with you and her." She answered.

Joven sighed sadly as he hugged his wife back softly. "She was here, but now she is going somewhere else. Avera, I'm loosing her. I don't know what else to do. Once again, I find myself scared and powerless to fix what I have done wrong."

"What did she say? I thought it was all good when you and Alura had dinner with the King." She mentioned.

"It was, but once again I thought it was all enough and I immediately left. I thought that…..I was being stupid I was not being a father to her because I keep on making excuses to why I should not be with her. And when I tried to convince her otherwise of her decision to want to help a close friend, she told me that she no longer sees me as an important figure in her life. That she has had a better relationship with this friend of her's then she has had with me." he answered sadly.

His wife held on to his hand and made him look at her. "Hey, when she gets back, we will order some dinner with her alright? I'll be staying in Stormwind from now on if that is the case, so that I can also interact with her. Just like back then when we didn't have to worry about anything, and so that when we get to meet her again we will know why she said it and above all else we can know what she is feeling right now."

Joven gripped her hand gently and nodded his head. "Okay…"

* * *

The red skies were downing upon the plains of the red land. All of it were rugged, and unrecognizable to the Draenei. She once fared and lived in the land of the peaceful red, but now it only remains as a desolate place. The roads were covered by towers after towers of cinderblocks to guard the areas, to stay open against whatever lurking dangers they might encounter. While adventurers beside them in their knightly mounts readied to take orders as they march upon the red road.

"Oh crud." Kinar suddenly broke the long silence. "I forgot to tell daddy and Arden that was leaving to head to Draenor. I hope he doesn't start sending search parties everywhere."

"If he knows Joven then maybe Alura's father will cover for you. After all you and Alura are such good friends." Finan mentioned before turning towards Quon with his eyes closed in a meditative state. "So what kind of Pandaren activity is this?"

"Meditation, it is universally known to link between the spirit and the flesh." Serga answered for Quon.

"Right...link between spirit and flesh. Personally it's knowledge and study that does the better trick for me. I've have thirty years of experience as a retired member of the Kirin Tor to prove it." he answered.

"Kirin Tor? Buahahahhahahaha! Them Magic old man wizards were stupid enough to fight the death knight lad Arthas." Thark laughed with a comment.d.

"If I had a middle finger Thark, I flip you off right now." Finan responded.

The Night Elf huntress looked up at both the Gnome and the Dwarf and puts a soft smile unto her lips underneath her mask. She looked down to at the fur of her mount and tried to remember the last time she had that kind of moment in her life ever since. Perhaps wherever her own flesh and blood is it would all remain back to that. In the moments bother the night elf lowered the mask off the lower half of her face and slightly moves her hand to rub the lines in her eyes.

"I'll have you know Thark that it was this mage from Kirin Tor here that has saved your ass from multiple I lost count troubles with magic stuff while always in return getting shot in somehow twist of iron in fate as a reward." The old Gnome reminded the old Dwarf.

And in return for the gnome's comment, the group heard a small chuckle from the night elf that was riding a frostsaber.

"Why is that everyone finds that I was a member of the Kirin Tor so damn funny. I spent a good number of years with eventually reaching the rank of Archmage before retiring from them to continue my work as one of the King's Royal mages. So I am not to be trifled with." he warned.

The old veteran rather ignored his tantrums and noticed the chuckling night elf. "Oi lass, havin fun back there aren't ya?"

Fylrae blushed a little in embarrassment and covered the lower half of her face back with her cloth mask to hide her blush. "Um...sorry…"

"But enough about my days as a Archmage. I do think I would like to really seriously know where in Draenor we are going since we've been riding in this cart for FIVE HOURS!" Finan calmly said before yelling out the last two words.

Fylrae pointed out at the distance. "A camp is up in the horizon, they are bringing the injured in, perhaps we can rest there and might know information also to the whereabouts of the missing soldiers."

"Geeze perhaps you should've told us that info before hand instead leaving us in the dark. Seriously for the passed five hours I've been cooped up in this damn thing having no idea where we were constantly looking around my surroundings in case we get attacked by Orcs of the Old Horde. I've already dealt with them in my youth and let me tell you, those bastards don't know when to call it quites." Finan mentioned.

"You know I don't know that much about the difference between the Old Horde and New Horde other then that the new Horde is allot better compared to the Old Horde. What happened by chance?" Kinar asked.

"The Old Horde is the unity of orcs formed in Draenor, the New horde is the unity of orcs formed in Azeroth by Thrall." Fylrae answered.

"And when Thrall took command, they became well...let's just say Thrall's the best thing that's happened to the Orcs because before him...well if you heard the scary stories about the Old Horde I promise you they're all true." Finan commented.

A Large and burly man clad with plated armor approached them as they approached the gates. He stood about shoulders taller than the draenei, which the gnome immediately noticed and gasped with a loud expression. "Holy moly you're the biggest human I have ever seen. How did Genetics work out for you?" The gnome complemented, immediately noting the down with his paper as he looked at the very bulky frame the man has.

"I'm the Captain here in the squadron commanding the camp site. May I know the intentions your parties have in mind before I let you enter?" The Superhuman like captain said.

"Ah yes we're volunteers here to help in the aid of the war effort. I am Priestess Alura of the Church of the Holy Light at Stormwind. This is Kinar a fellow Priestess. With us are Serga a Shaman of the Horde, Finan one of the Royal mages to King Varian, Thark an old veteran of the Stormwind Guard, Fylrae a Huntress and former member of the Night Elf Sentinels, and Quon a retired Shado-Pan Blackguard member." Alura introduced herself and her party to the captain.

"Kinar the daughter of General Kodan? I heard a search mission inducted in your party has been spread that it lead to here. A Human worgen rogue sent a letter about an hour ago told me that I was expecting a group filled with a draenei, a gnome and a dwarf would come by along with the General's daughter." Implied the commander.

Kinar face palmed herself. "Darnit I knew I should've told daddy where I was going. Now not only has he sent a search party but he's letting my brother be in charge of it. That's just terrific." she groaned annoyingly.

"The search party I was implying is to you all. You are searching for the men of my fellow colleague Captain James Jorden Carson? Am I correct?" He said as he towered over them saved only by the tauren.

"Yes that's precisely correct, how did you get the info of his disappearance?" Alura asked.

"I am keen on the updates to the whereabouts of my fellow friends that fought in the Third war. Galvane Hilt, Captain James Jorden Carson, and wherever else who are still alive that I've know of." He clarified.

"If we may, we've come to to discover the fates of people close to us. With your permission we will do what we can to help your men stationed here before continuing our journey." Serga asked.

"Then set aside to meet me in the tent to give a clarification of their whereabouts, I'll gather any other information I can give, and for the time while nothing else important has been given to us at this time, this would be a perfect opportunity to discuss with personal matters regarding friends and colleagues." He said as turned back and gestured for them to hold the cart and horses somewhere.

Turning their attention away from the captain, the group moved the cart to hold it and the horses somewhere as requested.

"Kuura, you stay here for a moment okay?" Fylrae assured as she sprawled a ball of hay for her frostsaber to lay on. "I will be back." She said as she pats the forehead of the feline.

Finan snapped his fingers to conjure some water for the horses and for Kuura to refresh on as he joined with the group in meeting with the captain at the tent.

The others caught up as the commandeering captain scoured through the files inside the bookshelves, easily finding what he needed. "Ah, here it is." He exclaimed as he flip through the pages. "Name:Captain James Jorden Carson, Race: Human, Parents: Deceased, Siblings: None, Spouse (Former): Clayla Brightsun (High Elf), a veteran soldier that participated much throughout the third war, including the Battle of Mount Hyjal. Last reported closing in to the borders of Tanaan jungle, and last reported to the generals two months and two weeks ago." He said as he sat down at behind the table.

"That's where him and his squad was stationed at?" Alura asked anxiously.

"That would be precise, before going into the mission we captains met just a day back then, discussing personal and official matters back then. He told me that it was a forced draft by the council." He told them.

"Force draft?" Serga questioned.

"Is that even allowed I mean I know these desperate times but they were just guards at Stomrwind I would imagine with such cautions being taken that the King would want his people protected just as much as he needs help in the war?' Kinar questioned.

"Well, there are instances of forced drafts among the soldiers when necessary, I was a forced draft along with Jorden, and Galvane Hilt back in the Third War. Forced drafts are common during uncontrolled war, like the first, second, and third wars." He clarified.

"What else can you tell us about Jorden and where he was stationed at?" Finan asked.

"Well Jorden, was a friend of mine for how many years, was a very skilled soldier packed with everything necessary and some to be a very strong leader. A decided retiree and was the first to take a spouse amongst the three of us veterans, but then events happen, leading an unknown separation happening between him and his wife. The plague ensues, and you know the picture of history by then." He said before asking a clarification. "And what was that other question?"

"What can you tell us about the place he and his men were stationed at?" Finan asked again.

"Ah, yes, yes that. Tanaan Jungle." The big human started as he stood up once again and took a map of Draenor from the book shelf. "Well, Tanaan Jungle is far from controlled lands of the alliance and horde. Lush, swampy, is the term to describe it, and where they are stationed at. Well, they have to follow cliffs and narrow passages if they follow a shortcut into which I believe they did, or they would have a very long march in the open plains where hostility is the greatest and this time." He hypothesized as he moved his finger from time to time, pointing where he was referring to.

Finan observed the map a little and nodded while he was deep at thought from the information he just heard.

"Finan?" Alura asked.

"I'm thinking…" he answered.

"About?" Thark asked.

Finan did not respond as he studied the map for a while.

"So what do you need us to do?" Kinar asked next.

"Do? Are you referring to where to go to reach the jungle?" He asked.

"Yes." Alura answered.

The captain just chuckled. "Oh heavens no, I would not advise that. Old Horde Orcs are not the only dangers, there are beasts roaming around, and especially there are those organized slave trade back in azeroth roaming around here in the plains in concealment to take opportunity of catching some soldiers and orcs alike to sell them off to fight at Gladiator arenas or whatever fuss they would do." He warned.

"We're well prepared to face those if necessary." Alura answered before anyone else could say anything.

"I truly advise not to. If either Jorden is dead because of the orcs, or he and his remaining men are captured in slavery. Those slaver's are trained professionals on capturing, and those orcs are savages that even I would not want to encounter despite my experience."

"I don't care!" Alura shouted in response. When she realized her actions she quickly gasped in surprise herself and excused herself out of the tent.

The old Dwarf immediately followed. "Oi lass! Hold up!" He shuffled her as he caught up with her. "Oi lass, come on, the big lad got a point."

"I don't care Thark, I won't leave them out there." she responded while trying to calm herself down as she felt her chest hurting.

"Oi lass, come on now, be like a good lass, be reasonable." He pats her back and continued. "Ahm sure that Jorden fella and that man friend of yers does not want you to get hurt."

Alura looked back at Thark "If it was me out there would you give up searching for me halfway through?" she asked both seriously but kindly.

The old dwarf scoffed in surprise and conceded. "Aye lass, you know I would not. Yer like my own."

The bell suddenly rang.

"Old Horde Orcs on the horizon!" a soldier alerted.

"Lok'tar O'gar!" An orc screamed from the top of the wall as he jumped down and landed on a soldier, flattening him out unconscious. The orc proceeded to swing his hammer on the next men he see and hits it hard as the soldier flew away in impact. He roared and signaled for the other orcs to battle.

* * *

"Oh mon, dis gon be real good." Kor commented from above, just beyond a steep hill to see the battle began. "Oi, mon purple skin, we gon take da draenei when in da middle of it."

Daken said nothing and remained silent as always.

"So mon, any good ideas, I ante no push over but I ante being paid enough to fight a whole damn army of dem Orcs. I got a few ideas in mind but since you'll boss don't trust me that well I'm a starting to think if I should even go with them or whatever you want." Kor questioned while looking back at the Demon Hunter who was still in disguised with the normal night elf appearance thanks to the magic stone he had.

In Response the Night Elf ran down the hills in preperation.

"Ahhh...I see how this is mon. Don't trust me enough to handle this myself hu?" Kor asked as he placed his telescope up and started making his way down.


	21. A Little Night Shine

A piercing headache penetrated his senses as he groaned in pain. His teeth gritted through it as he tried to move. Struggling to cope through the blurred senses due to pain, he moaned even more in trying. He felt soft fondling hands over his forehead and the brush of his hair ended it all, stopping the moans and groans of striking pain. His eyes sprung up in open, seeing the image of green eyes accompanied with long golden locks of hair came to him.

"You're awake…" The blood elf exclaimed as she softly brushed her hands over his head, while the other rested at the side of his cheek as the head of the warrior rested on the lap of the elfling.

"Wasn't I fighting Urak?" he asked while trying not to move in hopes that it would help with the pain.

"You were, that's why you're here, you two tore each other up pretty bad before the master called it off. In the end, Urak won against you." Arseah explained.

Larkon just laid still. "Damn, no wonder Dagren is famous for being the Orc Slayer. Fighting an orc with bare hands is quite the task to do…" he groaned.

A small hand moved down to his cheeks and softly caresses it. "Are you feeling well?" Arseah asked through.

"Yeah I'm feeling well just got a bad headache…" he answered with a calm tone. "How long was I out Arseah?" He asked as he looked up, still letting his hands rest on his side, as if feeling comfort to rest his head on the legs of the small blood elf.

"The entire night." She answered.

"Damn…" He sighed as he continued to rest her head on her legs.

"Do you need me to get you anything for your head or…" she asked before he quietly stopped her.

"I'll be fine, just need a little rest that's all…" he answered.

"Okay…" she responded while rubbing a hand on his forehead to do what she could to help. "Um Larkon about...the other day...you know in the bath…" her face blushed a little.

"What was it like to you Arseah?" He asked softly as he looked up to her, he maintained a small smile through his question before continuing a statement. "It was lovely to me, and meaningful.".

"It was...the same, but on a more deeply and personal meaning to me." she smiled.

Then, the small smile through the warrior's lips faded as he heard her words. Truly it was meaningful in every way that making each other feel loved and feel good, but the warrior's stance was clear that he doesn't have it to maintain such stance on loving romantically. The warrior slowly curled a frown while sitting up. Clearing his head from her lap and turns to meet her gaze. His hand slowly and gently grasp her wrists and told her. "Arseah….I can't maintain that…." He said.

She was a little shocked to hear this, a small gasp however escaped when she heard, knowing that he didn't see her like she saw him. Nonetheless the blood elf nodded while still maintaining a soft small smile on her face, accepting what was presented. "Oh I see...but still it was deeply meaningful to me. You were the first person to show me what it was meant to be like…" she noded.

"Loved?"

"Yes...for that I am forever thankful to you…" she answered. "But, I still...I'll maintain what I see in you."

The warrior smiled. "See me for what you like Arseah, as long as the positivity that still maintained your admiring good attitude remains, then see me for what you like." He stated.

"But if I may ask, can I ask you a question?"

When he nodded in agreement she asked "Are you satisfied?"

The warrior suddenly went silent for a moment as the question hit him again, it was like a reminder to where he is now back when he was home. What satisfaction is like to everything else around him. The given pleasure that throbbed him, and those who made him feel alive. It still was not an answer he could answer. In response he asked. "Satisfied in what?"

"Well I know you don't see me in the way I do. But is there someone you do see in that way. Someone who you want to return to who is waiting for you maybe?" she asked.

He sighed and thought, though something was telling him that someone was, but fogs of unease and unfamiliarity was not telling the answer. "In the back of my mind says yes…..but, I don't know Arseah.." He softly answered.

She softly laid her head on his shoulder and smiled. "I see. For showing me what it's like to be loved, allow me to return the favor by allowing me to help take your mind off of the hardships you will endure so you can return to home when the time comes." She told him as her hands began to undress his shorts.

The warrior instead had a surprise for her and swarmed her by pushing her back on the soft cushion of the mattress as he followed by his hands fondling her breasts under her shirt. He kissed her deeply, snaking his tongue inside her lips. "I'll show what is like to be pleasure and loved…" He whispered through the kisses.

* * *

"Shit we're not prepared for another assault from these bastards…" the captain growled as he saw the march of the Old Horde heading their way.

"Sir we can't hold them off in the condition we're in." a soldier alerted the captain.

"We're still trying to evacuate the the heavily wounded." another soldier reported.

"Sir, we will help the wounded, we will proceed to them immediately." Kinar and Alura volunteered, earning an instant nod from the captain as he runs through the thick fray of the battle, able to smash his axe on the back of an orc as it pinned down a struggling soldier.

The dwarf scoffed and muttered in dwarven language. "Aye, the old Iron Bullseye need gettin out." He said as he pulled out both of his flint locks from his pocket and got ready. "Oi, Night Elf lass, I need ye to help both of them while we be defendin them here. As I see them orcs aren't that many and perhaps we have a big chance what we can win." He motioned her as he pulled out a coin.

"Oh boy, you're going to do that?" Finan asked.

Thark responded by using his flint pistols to shoot two Orcs in the head right between the eyes with sniper distance accuracy. The shots stunned and shocked most of the other orcs as it happened so fast that they couldn't believe what they just saw.

Quon saw the trick and smiled while everyone stopped at what they were doing in shock from the amazing accuracy Thark had just as he drew his longrifle.

"Very impressive." Serga exclaimed in surprise.

"Amazing skill you possess, but allow me to handle this as well my skill." Quon said as he calmly walked up to the group of Orcs that were busy in the fray.

An orc came rushing down on what supposed to be an easy target, growling off with drool on their lips as they charged at the panda. Nonetheless the panda stood firm and with lightning fast speed, performed a powerful point blank range punch that sent the beat of the orc's heart to rest, killing it instantly.

The captain was struggling in the corner of the shack of the horses as he struggled to muscle in against the orc with his own arms as they locked themselves into a difficult situation. Using their bare strength as both themselves were disarmed into the fray. The captain made use of his experience as he used his elbows to repeatedly hit the orc on the cheek, causing the orc to let go, giving the captain space and leverage to turn and catch the orc's head behind its back, locking it to a headlock. It was short when the captain used his brute strength, along with his entire large frame to twist and break the neck of the orc.

Meanwhile as a soldier was in a losing battle with one orc, Finan calmly approached the two and cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Pardon me mr. fatass of a brute with a mother who wears army boots and a father wtih sassy skin." Finan called out to the Orc battling the captain.

The apparent insults struck a serious nerve on the orc as he quickly punched the soldier in the face to knock him out and turned towards the gnome in slow building up rage.

"Not only slow and stupid but deaf and blind apparently. Never thought I see the day to see those four in combination of one such amazing dumbass." Finan calmly responded with his arms crossed behind his back.

The orc suddenly bark at the gnome and charge with a sluggish feet. While calmly getting ready, the Gnome suddenly charged arcane energy into his hands. Shooting a powerful blast of arcane energy at the Orc to send him flying through a the tent and into a pile of boxes. The gnome simply blew his fist and looked at his hands.

"Still got it." he smirked.

When a Orc tried to sneak up behind him, the Gnome disappeared in a flash of arcane. Appearing right behind the orc along with three copies of himself made from his arcane magic. All four unleashing blasts of Arcane barrages to blast the orc through a tent.

Alura and Kinar were trying to help with the wounded soldier walk towards the carts to evacuate them as quick as possible. The two priestess saw a couple of Orcs heading their way until Serga stepped in front of them and blocked their path away from her friends useing a small earth wall created from her shamanistic magic.

"I will only warn you once, turn back now or face the punishment of your deeds by the hands of the Spirits." she warned the Orcs.

The orcs ignored her and kept charging forward. Suddenly, the bolts of lighting come out from the edge the Tauren fingertips, encasing the orc inside a surge of fatal agony before falling off to the ground.

A gunshot was heard once more as the dwarf kept firing down, specifically searching for soldiers that were in a struggling situation to put a bullet on the head of the orc and help. "Oi, tauren lass, help Alura and Kinar with them soldiers that are struggling, and you Finann, use them magics of yers to help the captain, he be struggling with orcs surroundin him, he be a big man but he is still just a soldier."

"And who died and made you the leader of this little group?" Finan demanded before useing blink to teleport over to go help the captain.

In the meantime, Quon continued to punch and kick down any Orc that got with a few inches close to him. His strikes so powerful and precise that they either knock the orc out or kill it upon impact. Easily dodging most of their attacks while following up with lightning quick counter attacks.

The Monk carefully pulled out his alcohol jug, opened it, and took deep swigs of wine stored in it before letting out a loud sigh of relief. When he put the jug back up his movements started swaying back and forth as he was all of a sudden deeply drunk.

The orcs began to charge and swing their weapons at him, but the orcs suddenly went confused when the relaxed motion of the pandaren's body kept them at bay to hit him, as they missed every swing they tried. Then, a cracking surprise attack from the Drunk Monk that landed straight down the pipe of the orc puts it down, causing a surprise among the attacking orcs. Suddenly, the panda began to aggressively attack while relaxingly dodging all their attacks.

Meanwhile, Alura, Kinar, and Serga finished loading the last of the injured soldiers into the carts. Leading the horses to take the carts to a safe distance until seeing that they need to cross a bridge next. Fylrae kept close by rushing with them up high above some closeby mountains.

The Nightelf drew her bow and readies one of her arrows to provide cover fire for the three spell casters. "I follow from a close distance." The night elf told them.

The battle grew more intense as the loud sound of metal crashing against metal echoed through the plains. Fear was bursting among the injured, and among the group who had sworn to protect them. Weary eyes was hovering over in guard as the horse that moved the cart were starting to nay and hush in fear as its senses saw danger.

The draenei quickly moved to the horse, caressing the smooth edges of its fine skin, trying to calm the strong stallion. "Shhh, it's okay, it's okay, there is nothing there." Alura assured, but the way she uttered her words did not reflect its substance. Nonetheless the soothing calmness of her words made the stallion thrive on and move.

In the meantime, Fylrae saw the approaching group of old Horde Orcs and took aim. Quickly she shot an arrow to kill one Orc with a direct hit to it's throat. The night elf alerted the group, calling over the danger as the roars became apparent.

The draenei urged the horse on move faster, occasionally trying to push or bump the back of the horse to signal, yet it did not.

"Let me handle." Serga motioned her to step aside and the draenei nodded. The tauren touched the ears of the mammal and immediately the horse began to move faster, close to a full run, but slow enough for the group to easily catch up.

The beastly horde were charging through the offenses of the night elf. Fylrae's hands worked through hard labour as she quickly let the arrows fly through the air, occasionally hitting the target. Alas it was not enough deter the tribal orcs as they charged with abandon, their eyes snaking through the night elf's telling her that they are so eager to kill what is put to them.

When she reached back for another arrow, she felt from her almost empty quiver that she would soon be out of arrows to continue to hold them off. Not seeing anymore choices, decides to go for the close encounter approach. Placing her bow up, she then whistle loudly for her trusty companion Kuura.

The Frostsaber lept into the battlefield with lightning fast speed and made a mad dash to her master. The Old Horde Orcs were taken by surprise by the all of a sudden presence of the large sabertooth cat as it pounced on one Orc and sunk its large teeth into the throat and ripped the Orc's throat out. Spewing blood and gore all around any orcs close by and blinding some of them when the blood sprayed into their eyes.

Kuura did not give them a chance to recover. She dashed towards the orcs who were blinded by the spray of blood and gore from her first kill. The blases of her armor slashing through any orc brave yet dumb to try and stop her. None of them had the chance to even defend themselves when she slashed open their stomachs with her razor sharp claws and continued to rush back to her master.

In the meanwhile, Fylrae made a quick rush to her Frostsaber and was able to leap onto her saddle. Wasting no time to try and rush out of the group of Orcs to try and catch up to her friends as she noticed from a distance that the Orcs were gaining on them fast.

"Serga, their gaining on us, we can't defend ourselves if they get close to us." Kinar said to them in a very open concern as they ran down at the plains as the orc soldiers close the mdown.

Serga looked back behind her, indeed the Worgen was correct with her words as the Orcs were gaining on them fast. She looked out in the distance to see Fylrae on her Frostsaber Kuura rushing fast towards them to try and catch up to them fast. However even with Kuura's amazing speed it did not look like they were going to catch up anytime soon.

The Shaman also looked at the long distance towards the direction that Thark, Finan, and Quon were at. She was not able to make out much but she could tell the three had their hands full. Either way by the looks of everything, the three spell casters were going to have to do something.

"Hwauraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" A loud roar has been heard, the group turned their heads to an orc sprinting down at them.

Both of the priestesses was pleading to the Tauren for help as the orc neared them, its lips drooling with blood lusting saliva as its eyes narrowed with death on its expression.

"Serga their gaining on us!" Alura called to her, as her hooves tried to run as fast as she could. Tears were beginning to shed as her concern for everything else, especially fear driveled over to her, clouding her mind with anxiety and hopelessness.

Serga only responded with a quick and sudden decision of action. Turning around she tackle the Orc hard to the ground, using her bigger frame to pin down the orc and began to beat the savage Orc with the use of her fists. Using her Shaman magic to summon a rock, she repeatedly bashed the Orc's skull onto the rock until she smashed a large bloody hole in its head.

To her horror however she looked back to see more Orcs still gaining on them. She was too far away by this point to get back to them and was forced to stare into horror as the orcs had finally caught up with the two priestess.

"Don't come near me, I'm warning you!" Alura stopped, though spewing words of threats, never once did she shown to be threatening as she stood there with waterfalls that dribbled down her cheeks.

Kinar by this time had already transformed into her Worgen form and tried to threateningly growl at the Orcs as they slowly approached them.

One orc looked over the two as a very sadistic smirk spread across his lips. "Be such a shame to kill you nice looking women before having some fun. What do you say boys, we fuck the Draenei and skin the Worgen for a new pelt?" he asked his fellow Orc warriors.

The same perverted orc moved with confidence, his eyes were imprinted with blood lust as he approached them ever so slowly.

"Please! Don't come near me, I am warning you! I will use my abilities." Alura emptily threatened as her hands moved in front of her, channeling whatever feeble power she had.

The orc chuckled briefly before falling silent, quietly hover its bloodlust ridden eyes over the draenei and the human worgen. His expression change, his lips curling to a frown as he tightly gripped his weapon. Then...he roared with unbridled aggression and charged at the innocent priestesses, gripping it's under the strong grip of his hands as he roared wildly with a raging expression.

"Please don't!" Alura pleaded fearfully one more time as her hands glowed. She and Kinar powered whatever magic they could muster before letting out a strong surge of Holy energy and Nature energy as the orc leaped with in, trying to finish off the draenei and the worgen. Whatever magic they channeled through their hands that flew from their fingertips sealed the raging orc's fate as the light ridden along with the nature ridden power penetrated through his skin, hitting his heart as he leaped in. The moment both the of their magics hit him the orc immediately fell limp in mid air, landing down at the side of the draenei with a loud thud.

Both of the two looked down at the corpse of the orc, their eyes were watering, their hearts were tightening with heavy breaths as they looked at the result. Anxiety, guilt, and noxiousness filled the both of the lot as they froze in place. Their fearful eyes looking at the blood beneath their hooves and feet, staining their skin and fur with the blood of the raging warrior.

They stood their with frozen fear, both of them unaware at the remaining danger at still surrounds them as the other orcs stormed in with rage, ready to avenge as well as to mutilate both the frozen priestesses. Both of them only looked at the warriors with unexpressed concern, like as if they were no longer inside the realms of reality.

The orcs charged with their heavy weapons ready to deliver the blow. Then they fell short as they were met with an armored charge from their human counterpart. An arrow flew by from the feline astride night elf as the soldiers charged through their ranks. Two of the soldiers looked at the priestess and brought them out as they were too close from the fray.

The human warriors took a look at them with narrowed brow as they pleaded with the priestesses to move. "Up your feet now! Go! And Run away!" One of the soldiers encouraged them as he helped out the draenei up from her stupor, while the other helped the worgen who now turned back to her human form.

"I killed someone….." Alura muttered under her breath. Her widened eyes along with the tearful streams that dribbled down her cheeks confirmed to the soldiers. Both of them also looked at the expression of the human worgen, only to be met with the same.

"Oh no…" One of them muttered. "Panic attack. Helped them up, we're gonna carry them out from here and to the cart."

"Panic attack?" One of the soldiers exclaimed with confusion.

"They experience this because they have killed, their minds are not conditioned to kill anyone, they will remain frozen because they are overwhelmed with anxiety." The soldier said to them as he helped up the draenei to be scooped into his arms.

Serga was able to catch up to everyone at this time and joined them along with the Night Elf followed close by on her striped Frostsaber.

In the meantime back with Thark, Finan, and Quon. The old Dwarf was running out of ammunition as he just kept seeing more Old Horde Orcs coming and coming almost like ants in a never ending amount.

"To hell with all this! Quon, Finan, we be leaving!" Thark shouted to his companions.

"It's about damn time!" Finan yelled as he Arcane blasted another Orc and started rushing off with the Dwarf. "Where the hell is Quon at?"

"I'll be staying here, help them, while I'll help the soldiers fend them off." Quon answered to them while he punched a orc multiple times with lightning fast jabs, each punch delivering bone shattering blows to the orc's body.

"And here I actually thought you got drunk a moment ago! Come on we can't handle them all we're retreating!" Finan yelled.

The Large captain rode by with a cart for the three to hop on and make a narrow escape from the swarming old horde of Orcs. "Come on, my men had hold off the last wave, they have enough time to get on their horses and escape with us before the last wave arrive. Come on!" He urged them.

* * *

Larkon finished getting his shorts back on as well as the leather wrapps back on his hands. He looked to his side to see the blood elf still in a deep sleep lying naked underneath the sheets of the bed. He smiled a little and got up to exit the room.

Making his way back outside to the training courtyard, he smirked when he found Urak there waiting for him and also smirking.

"And so the great human Larkon lives from the ass whipping of the Legendary Orc Urak. How're you feeling?" Urak joked.

Larkon chuckled and popped his joints. "Pissed off and ready for round two." Larkon also joked.

"The Blood Elf called us, he said he'll be meeting with us at the entrance of the dungeon, he said that it is something important for him and for us." Urak informed.

"Another gladiator fight I would guess." Larkon sluggishly sighed.

Urak nodded to him in agreement and went on down the halls, stumbling upon the two females, Rachel and Seleara. The two acknowledge their presence as they did their work along. "He is out there waiting for you both, he said that if you could win it then it would bring more than enough money to sustain for everyone here." Seleara informed.

"Thank you Seleara. Larkon you coming?"

"On my way." Larkon nodded and followed along Urak as they made their way down the hallways until eventually arriving back outside in the training field.

Zan stood there with a cigarette pipe on his lips, inhaling it deeply through his mouth and puffed the smoke gently through his nose and mouth as he observed the other gladiators fighting each other. He was deep in thought as his two prized Gladiators walked up to him.

"Look at them you two. What's the difference from the last two weeks?" The Blood Elf asked them as he inhaled the pipe. The Blood elf showed no signs of any bearing tone as his eyes were fixated at the training gladiators in the arena.

The two warriors immediately noticed that their numbers were starting to get smaller, no longer over filling the small arena with clash and tacks by the contacting wood. The Orc exhaled and answered. "They're no longer numerous." He said.

"And why do you think why is that?" Zan asked still keeping his green eyes focused on the training gladiators.

The human warrior noticing their sluggish battles noticed the mediocrity "Untrained and inexperienced." Larkon answered with no tone.

The Blood Elf reached down the papers at the table beside him, inhaling the pipe before giving it to the soldiers. "Tell me, what do you think of this." He said.

The two warriors read. It was a betting line of the arena weere one would put their golds on the race two whether or not he would profit in the wins or lose. In the paper, there were no wins for him as all of it read were him losing gold at an alarming numbers.

"All Seven pittings of Gladiators I had in the arena all lost along with the gold I put on them." Zan commented without emotion, looking like as if he was not dismayed at the result, but the two knew better.

Zan reached down to an another paper and gave it to them. "I want you both to solve that for me." He said as he gave it to them while gesturing the guards to to step behind him, looking as a smile began to curve to his lips.

Both the Human and orc read the paper carefully. It was an arranged deal that their master had set up. It spoke that his two best warriors, namely them, would be placed in a handicap Gladiator match, two strong and ten week vs. Twelve of the best. The reward would be of him breaking even of all of his losses if the two die. However should the two win he will gain triple the amount.

Urak immediately saw this and protested. "This brings no honor." The orc growled as he looks like as if he was ready to lash out against the Blood Elf.

"There's no honor in business orc." The Blood Elf calmly replied as he inhaled the pipe deeply and exhaled.

Larkon stepped forward. "This? Is the solution for you?!" He growled also and began to angrily step on towards the blood elf only to be met with multiple hands over his arms and shoulders, stopping him in his tracks.

"Yes that would be it." The blood elf said without remorse as he didn't even face the two angered gladiators.

"We already made money from fights that you gave to us!"

"Against weak competition yes, the only ones that you gave me big is the first. Which in return deals with lesser rewards in the end." Zan answered with a slight tone of annoyance heard in his voice as he placed the pipe down to rub his temples. "I did not buy you two because I needed companions, I bought you two so that I could make money and profit from your deaths while profiting even more from other deaths. While today I can break even with your deaths." The Blood elf insultingly added.

Neither his two best warriors knew how to react to this, only just stand there and stare at the paper with ever growing anger at the situation they were now in.

"If it makes you two feel better I too was once in a handicap match no different than this one." Zan said as he got up and took his coat off. Revealing horrid scars all over his body that looked more severe than any of the two Gladiators have yet earned. "But like I said weeks ago about how your goals can save your lives. My goal saved me from a hell far worse than this one. And if I can endure and survive that then so can you two...my most prized warriors currently in my custody."

Zan then gestured the guards. "Take them back to the basement." He commanded.

The guard moved in at the already restrained human, but they just let go as the human shakes off their holds and turn his back at the blood elf.

Both the Blood Elf and the Orc along with the guards watched Larkon leave to head back to the basement. Zan puts his coat back on and sat back down in his seat, all the while never taking his eyes off the human for a single moment.

"I take it that in your time as a gladiator, you were not given such generous offers, weren't you?" the orc asked Zan.

Zan exhaled the smoke from his lungs and half-heartedly reply. "Just bring me gold, and if you live you get to see your family if you have one the moment you ask for freedom." Zan avoided the question. "I expect you to train for the following weeks."

The orc grunted as the two immediately went on to the arena, their teeth grit with anger, their eyes were shaken with blatant irrationality as they tried to look to where they should release their rage unto.

The wiser of the two was treading his way into the mansion and down to the basement, where he soon found Larkon apparently in training. Continually punching, kicking, and all around striking at a practice dummy with fierce determination and somewhat anger. Practicing and forcefully pushing himself to the verge that he was sweating all over and pounding the dummy to almost pieces with his bare strikes.

The human looked over at the orc, before immediately resuming his stance against the training material, acting like the orc was not there.

The green skinned warrior began to practice, using the wooden axe that rested against the wall as his basis of weaponry for the arena on the week that would come. His eyes were burning in passion, but not in rage, even with the threat of death he managed to find something else that the Blood Elf had uttered where the human did not hear.

"Life….death...life...death." Larkon muttered, baring his head against the rough wall.

The orc looked over his human counterpart. "What is it?"

"A poem from my captain. The beat of a thousand heart, a thousand souls for a thousand warriors. Living souls are key for the war, whenever war is present, souls are key to peace when it is locked." Larkon uttered before kicking the dummy with hard strength that he gathered from his legs.

Urak listened carefully of the poem and made sure to repeat it over and over inside his head to not forget anytime soon. He continued to strike his practice dummy with his wooden axe with the same if not greater strength than the human, but still with the same burning passion that did not leave him.

"In all the years I've walked the path of the warrior. I confess not once I have ever heard of such a poem. Your Captain must've been a great man. The world mourns for the lost of such a fine warrior." the Orc commented.

"He's a dead man." The human corrected.

"I figured as much." Urak answered.

* * *

Alura could not stop shaking, no matter what she could do to try and calm herself. It had been several hours since she, her group, and the rest of the soldiers arrived at a safe place to make camp. Still neither the Draenei Priestess or the Worgen Druid could stop shaking or forget what they had done. Horrified of the acts of being forced to kill someone, something that not only was something they've never done before but something that went against the teachings of the Light.

She and Kinar sat in a large medical tent, too scared to even move and having no control over the continuous shaking their bodies were doing.

"Out of me way lads let me see them." They heard Thark shove the soldiers standing guard. When he finally entered he frantically rushed over to check and see if they were alright.

The Dwarf looked at them, their breaths were heavy as their bodies shook with no control. Both of them were gripping the soft fabric of cloth. Their eyes were in tears, their lips were purring in the sound of a soft whimper. He sat down in front of them, as his hand softly reached for their shoulders.

"How are both ye lasses feeling?" Thark asked in concern.

In response, both of them turned their heads to bury itself under the fabric, trying to avoid the concerning gaze of their father figure.

"Aye, I was told what happened so ye don't have to tell me what ye did, I be more concern if ye two are okay." he told them softly.

The Night Elf huntress staggered at the dwarf's side. "Let them rest first."

The Dwarf did not move as he quietly responded. "I'm not leaving their side. I have to know if they be okay."

Large thudding footsteps came to the tent, looking back to see the inhumanely big captain approaching them. "Leave them for a bit. Let them be for themselves." The captain said as he assured the dwarf. "No harm is coming close to them, we're at the close proximity of the base, there are no enemy for kilometers here on out." He said as he and the huntress decide to leave the tent.

Thark stayed in the tent for what he could guess was five minutes. Never taking his eyes off of either the Draenei or the Worgen he grew to love as if they were his own daughters. Standing back up from his chair he softly patted their heads before exiting the tent to leave them be as everyone suggested he do.

The captain walked down the river along with the huntress, their eyes were keen open in alert. His head was fixated on the distance, approaching a small pond of fresh water.

The huntress focused her gaze on the man, before shifting his eyes to the glowing moonlight. She wondered of course, part of her curious nature if the man she was looking at right now has something close to a family. She bit her lip underneath her half mask and decided to ask. "Do you have a family captain? A brother, a sister?" She took her mask of and slided it to her belt.

The captain chuckled. "Does soldiers and colleagues count huntress?" He asked.

The night elf didn't answer, giving off the silence that the captain needed.

The captain then nodded. "I have one. She's the last one I got. She's my...sister." He told before adding. "Last time I had heard of her was that she was in Stormwind, getting ready to get married. Was happy for her.."

Fylrae furthered the conversation. "Any plans to return home and start one for yourself?" She asked.

He shook his head. "I don't know, we'll wait when I get back, and see the results for yourself If I myself can get one." He chuckled.

She stared quietly at his dog tag, reading the letters in it. "Robert Cross." She muttered.

"Yeah that's my name, nothing special nothing else nothing more." He answered with a sigh. "You best go check on your comrades and see what they plan on doing. We'll be here for maybe a week or more unless we get further commands on what to do next."

She nodded and made her way back to the camp. The large Captain, watched her leave with a soft sigh before looking at the reflection of the moon in the lake.

Flyrae found her companions, Thark, Finan, Serga, and Quon sitting in a circle next to a camp fire.

"So how're they doing?" Finan asked Thark with concern.

"Aye they be not taking it easy but they be trying to rest from it." he answered.

Finan sighed as he stared back into the fire.

"It is not easy for innocent souls to get scared. And by the looks of it at least that their souls are far too innocent to be corrupted by the blood sheds of war." Quon hypothesized.

"Indeed they are lucky. I only wish in their journey in life, that they wouldn't be exposed to such harsh cruel moments such as that one." Serga commented.

"Well...now what?" the Gnome Mage asked.

"We keep moving until we find that lad Larkon and the rest of Jorden's squad." Thark answered.

"You sure they're gonna wanna continue after that event?" Finan asked again with concern.

The Dwarf shrugged. "I don't know lad, aye if we encounter them orcs again in this 'so called' safe like bootstrap on the leg road, I'm sure I be bringin them lasses back home." Thark stated.

"I vote we take them back home. They've already seen and been through enough already on stuff they weren't prepared for." Finan stated next.

"Tell it to them if they want to go home." Fylrae suddenly answered behind the gnome, narrowing her brow as she softly let her body rest down on the shrubs of the grass. "The man you're looking for…..he's lucky that he had a family that is looking for him even at this kind of danger." She added.

"You're familiar with loss ain't ya lass? I guess perhaps this ain't the life that ye want, and I bet in your thoughts that ye just want to be a mother wantin to craddle a wee lass, but it fell right from yer fingers." Thark hypothesized.

The Night Elf Huntress sighed. "No, that's not it."

"Look everybody what we five have in common is we've seen and been there when it comes to making harsh choices like that. Those two haven't and they are not prepared for it. It's better if we get them home now before this trip tears them up anymore then they've already been as of lately." Finan suggested.

"I never wanted this life." Fylrae admitted. "I'll admit dwarf, that was the life I was hoping to happen, hoping to happen...to me, to my brother." She said, no longer continuing any further.

Thark noded and gently patted her back. "Aye…"

"The two are strongly determined in their cause. We were once face with the same challenge and to say we did not react the same or similar as they did would not be the truth." Serga answered Finan's statement.

The captain had just come over, scooting his frame to the ground on the bonfire, handing out pockets of water. "Water, for all, took them from the stream nearby down the hill." He explained.

The panda gripped his chin as his eyes were squinted at the captain. "Hmmm…..captain, do you have a relative that lived in the town?" Quon suddenly asked.

"Why is everyone asking me that. Yeah why?" he answered.

Quon didn't say anything. He just reached for his traveling bag, pulled out his book of stories and started writing.

"People can we please get on the situation at hand on what we should do next?" Finan asked.

"My men are already going back to the main base in the portal, we'll probably go back ourselves too. The roads are clear, as the surrounding perimeters are safe guarded by patrols day and out, but we'll probably would not see a patrol during our journey back because the nearest patrol now is a kilometer away from us." The captain told.

"Thank you captain for that information. Fellow members of the I'm not sure what to call guild what do you all think we should do. Continue this search or head back home?" Finan asked everyone seriously.

Thark sighed, looking over to the tent of where the two priestess rested. He doesn't want to disappoint both of them, but right now, going home is the best for them, even if it means having to see them cry. "Aye, we'll go home. I don't want these two gettin any close from here."

"All in favor of this?" Finan asked as he raised his hand along with Thark, waiting for the others to respond.

"Andorhal, the third war and now. I think it's finally time to retire myself." The captain said as he stood.

Thark and Finan looked at the others.

"I will stay, I am still in search of my family and I am no stranger when it comes to making tough decisions." Serga answered.

"Quon what about you?" Finan asked next.

"I want to write more stories, but I value my own peace as well." Quon answered.

"So is that a yes or no?" Finan asked confused.

"Yes. I'll go back to the town."

Finan looks towards the Night Elf. "What about you?"

Fylrae watched the dancing flames, her eyes were glowed by the fire of that reflected from silver of iris. Whatever memories stirred from her mind in that moment where the dancing flames came to her her affected her like a spear would pierce one's flesh. For her, it felt like the world blurred around her when she watched it dance till her eyes decided to pour a rain of its own.

"Night elf." The voice snapped her thoughts.

"Yes?" she asked after a sudden snap back to reality.

"What do you plan on doing?" The Gnome asked her.

She scooped up and hugged her knees, letting her chin rest as her arms covered the lower half of her face. "I just want to go home." She muttered.

"I guess we're all in favor we're done with this and we need to head back to our respective homes and bring the two priestess back home to Stormwind. We'll leave in morning at Dawn so let's get as much sleep as we can." Finan suggested.

Now with an agreement, the group got up from sitting on the ground and made their way into their tents to catch as much rest as they could. Completely unaware that closeby they were all being closely watched by a familiar Rouge troll and a Demon Hunter Night Elf.

* * *

The two watched from atop of the trees, their bodies whelmed perfectly within the shadows, failing to be seen even with the trained eyes. They're as quiet as the soft breeze, their eyes were moving all around to see everything else. To plan on to what to do.

"So mon here be our chance to take the lovely maiden unseen. Just sit back and watch a pro at work." The troll mentioned as he tried proceeded without the Demon Hunter.

The silent Night Elf, now out of his magical disguise simply grabbed the Rouge by the shoulder to stop him before proceeding ahead of him.

"Silent you ass mon…" Kor cursed quietly to himself as he proceeded to follow the Night Elf.

The two were one with the shadows as they slowly and silently through the grass. Their feet were as light as the feint of death, avoiding all the sound that trained driven ears could hear. Both their bodies were bended down, trying to look as small as possible as they silently trudged through the small camp.

Sticking close to both the shadows and cover, the two quietly made their way to the tent that they last saw their target, the Draenei Priestess was last seen sleeping in. The Troll made a hand gesture for the Demon Hunter to stay put while he would handle the situation. The Night Elf simply ignored him and quietly moved ahead. Leaving the Troll to grumble quietly in anger as he followed the Night Elf into the tent as quietly as they could.

The Troll catched up with the night elf and pulled out a pouch of powder. "Spray this on her face mon. She be sleepin like a foal." Kor handed it.

Dakon carefully grabbed the pouch and proceeded forward. When the two finally entered the tent they saw both the Draenei and the Human Worgen asleep in their respective makeshift beds. The Draenei however appeared to be tossing and turning, breathing heavily in her sleep as if she was having a horrible nightmare in her sleep. Thankfully the two kept close into the shadows because she ended up springing up awake with a loud gasp.

Slowly, Alura tried to calm herself from having another horrible nightmare. It was the third one since the incident with the Orc from earlier that day. As she laid her head back down on the soft pillow she tried muttering a soft prayer before she noticed in the darkness of the tent, a pair of green glowing eyes staring at her.

He immediately sprayed the powder over her just as she let out a loud scream in horror for that lasted as fast as one could blink. She ceased her screaming as her eyes to immediately become heavy and she found herself slowly drifting off back into a very deep sleep. Daken gently pushed her chest back to lay on her back.

Fylrae looked up at the moon. Her body in the form of praying as she looked up to her goddess, Elune. A mutter of words came to an end as she turn herself back into sleep, but only to jump back up from the sudden quick but loud scream from the tent the priestess were in.

Kinar was the first to awake in her sleep from the scream from her best friend since she was right there. She immediately sat up from bed to see two dark shaped figures in the dark of the tent. She screamed just right before a woosh of sandy like substance was sprayed all over her face.

"Mon, pick up them draenei. I be outside lookin fo whether or not we be in trouble." Kor quietly hurried the Demon hunter.

The troll decided and went outside the tent only to be met with a purple skinned huntress.

Without a second thought the troll immediately tried to spray her off with the powder, only for the night elf to duck below, avoiding the substance and to kick the rouge from his balance as she swept him off his feet, causing him to buckle to the ground.

The troll noticed the sound of rushing feet coming over to his location. His eyes were widened as the others were coming off from the tent towards him. He looked over to his companion to see him lifting off the draenei as he jumped off to the ground and avoid the next blow that the huntress tried to deliver.

Fylrae saw the troll flee in front of her as it jumped up over the other side of the tent. Her eyes were widened as she saw the familiar body of the draenei, slumped over the shoulder of someone else.

Her hands immediately went for the bow and and arrow. Her breath was heavy, her eyes were focused over moving target. Despite having to carry someone, it was fast, really fast, but not fast enough to avoid her arrow that she would release.

Yet it was only at the moment that light from the closeby torches revealing the figure that she suddenly stopped herself from releasing her projectile. Teal hair, the lines of his face, the scars of his skin. Those features that belong to the figure standing right there infront of her stopped her. Her eyes were no longer focused along with her weapon. The beat of her heart were stopped for a moment as she saw him. A once figment of her own delusion that he would still be alive come true.

"Lass, release it!" The dwarf screamed at frozen night elf.

She couldn't. Her arms felt weak as she watched the figure slowly run through the bushes. Her arms felt weak as she saw him disappear through the trees of the forest, carrying her recent companion. Her eyes were watered with tears as a fact came before her.

The others arrived just as the dwarf came beside the night elf while the shaman tended with the other priestess.

His face was lit up with disbelief as his breath came with a heavy pause. He stared at the night elf with widened eyes as he tried to speak. "Lass what have ye done…."


	22. Point Your fingers

The mist around her eyes covered her visions. Her beautiful glow were obstructed by something as she tried to erect her vision. A small bite to her lower lip indicated her struggle as she tried to find her vision.

A sporting headache made her groan in pain. Coiling her hand over her head as she tried to make sense of everything. More aches comes along her way, especially the sole of her flat abdomen. She whimpered and puts a hand over it, trying to ease the aches around her body.

"Have a nice nap sweet maiden?" she heard a voice from close by followed by the sound of a serrated knife being sharpened by a rock.

Her eyes opened wide in alert and deep heavy fear as she heard the voice and the sound of the knife being sharpened. She began to fear for the worst as she slowly turned around towards the source of the sound.

There sitting on a large rock overlooking her was a Rogue Troll with half of his face concealed by a black cloth mask. Staring at her with what she could only guess would be perverted eyes as he sharpened a serrated knife in his right hand with a stone in his left hand.

She curled her body against the firm rock that she had rested her back and, keeping her arms over the upper portion of her body. Her eyes were teamed with streams of tears as she realized where she is. Somewhere in the middle of a large dense forest, alone in the night accompanied only with a troll and the dancing flames of the fire that illuminated the night.

"Ah come on now mon don't be sad. You be safe with me until I get ya to me client." Kor told her as he kept sharpening his serrated knife.

"Where am I?" Alura asked softly, trying to act as small as possible. She found a small ounce of bravery as she decided to face the troll with her glowing eyes.

The Rouge simply shrugged and went back to sharpening his knife. "Hell if I know mon. But somewhere where nobody be bothering us."

Alura dipped her head over the surface of the rock and gives a whimpered cry. Her heart was beating in fear and loneliness to where she was, wondering where she is and why. Tears were pouring down her cheeks as she tried to muffle all the audible cries she was puffing.

"You best not be too sad fair maiden. You gon need da energy when we make our long journey to booty bay first thing in the mornin." Kor mentioned to her as he twirled his knife in his fingers a little before going back sharpening it. Then he looks around his area, looking as if trying to secure something else before jumping towards the front of the Draenei. Causing her to whelp in surprise for a moment, jerking herself, trying to tie her knees towards her body even more. Then she gasp and outwardly cry as Kor landed his hand on her shoulders.

"Though me client never did say I couldn't have a check or two. After all, ye have the most gifted body parts and biggest pair of giant melons me ever lay ma eyes on." Kor grinned slightly underneath his mask.

The sound of a dragged weight against the soil was heard, letting the Troll stop himself from furthering whatever he was trying to do to the priestess. He looked over to see the night elf dragging a medium sized boar with a rope around its feet with a slitted throat. The troll moved away from the draenei and proceeded to proclaim in praise.

"Oi mon that be a nice catch."

The Night Elf was something Alura had never seen before. His skin scaly and demonic, his hands and feet clawed tipped, small horns extended from his head, and his eyes glowed with a burning yellowish green color even through the blindfold he wore over his eyes. It was a sight of pure horror to her as she gasped in fear of such a terrifying figure.

The Demon Hunter stared at the Rogue with suspicion as he tossed the dead boar to the ground to the feet of the Troll. SIlently demanding him to prepare their meals.

She watched them prepare, the Troll's serrated knives were cutting it open, letting the smell of flesh and blood fill her nostrils. It almost made her puke in disgust, as she watched the blood spew from the body. She's a person that wanted to preserve life and to watch such brutality made her look away.

The demon hunter looked over to her, assuring that everything else was progressing smoothly, he decided to let the draenei be with herself as he proceeded to take the handed meat from the troll.

Alura raised her brow as them both decided to turn their backs on her. She watched them for about a few more moments with their backs still turned to her. Hearing the troll complain on fixing the food from the carcass.

"Shit mon I ain't being paid enough for this crap." Kor complained as he continued to slice through the carcass for more meat.

When she found that both of her captors were too distracted in what they were currently doing, she took her chance. Standing up quietly she moved away from the small fired camp until she was a decent enough distance. She quickly began running as fast as she could, to get away from those two as fast and far away as possible.

In the meantime, the Rogue had finally finished cutting the boar and breathed a moment while wiping some sweat from him.

"Alright fair maiden how would ya like yo'll meat cooked, Medium or well done?" Kor asked as he silently turned around only to see the Priestess had vanished. "Shit…"

She was blitzing through the bushes of the forest, her heart were beating to the extent of her physical limitations. Her hooves were moving as fast as they could as she ran through. Her eyes were focused on one thing, 'escape.' It is her focus as she trudged through with blistering speed as her adrenaline pumped through her veins. There was nothing else in her mind, all of it were in focus, the sound of freedom was near to her. Her fears were evident, her eyes were scared, her breath was heavy as she tried.

She grit her teeth as she looked back for a moment, only to see that nothing was behind her, only the dense forest along with the quiet sound other than the rustling of the branches that her arms and legs tampered. The glimpse of moonlight along the forest indicated her want, seeing as the forest becomes thinner and thinner as she ran by, and once she reached the plain horizon, she would immediately follow the road and arrive at the nearest camp and would be back with the others in no time. She deemed that would be the case.

She deemed that she could escape as her adrenaline gave her the last of its strength, her hooves put off everything, her heart were beating to physical limitations. That all ends as the sound of a broken branch was heard, just beside her. She immediately screamed as she felt the clawed hands gripped her shoulders till its arms snaked around her body. She lost her balance, she lost her will, she lost her faith to run as she being held tightly against the bigger figure. Her fear burst through the corner of her lips as she pleaded.

"Please! Please! Please NO! Please by the Light." She cried as the demon hunter pinned her smaller frame with little effort. "Please, please I beg you." She cried once more but it was far softer than her wails as she see the hopelessness looming over as the figure's green burning eyes hovered over her. "Please…" She muttered, pleading one more time to the looming dark figure in front of her as she was put to lay down on the grass. There was no strength, there was no adrenaline, nothing but heart felt fear coursing in her will.

In the end, there was nothing she could do as her tears showed again, watching her own strength seep away as the figure carried her back.

* * *

Kreus arrived with a small group of Twilight Hammer cultists with him at the abandoned ancient old abby sanctuary that was flooded with water from rain and nearby rivers. The night loomed over them as the trees covered the moon. The cultist were disgusted by the muddy portions of the swampy area, raising their voice of disgust in the form of grunts and groans.

"Why do we have to be here?" One of the cultists ask the Blood Elf.

The Warlock looked around his surroundings, calmly burning a small mosquito that flew up to him with his fel fire from the tip of his finger before proceeding forward. "I'm told that we are to meet here with him." Kreus replied as he raised his arms over his head and creates a ball of fel fire from his hand, letting it float to the atmosphere above, illuminating the thick night.

"What is this place?" another of the cultist asked, taking notice of ruins of such they have never seen before.

"To be honest, I don't even know." The Warlock answered as they tried trotting through the swamps.

"So how did you come to meet this Death Knight, he's not like the others risen by the Lich King is he?" one Orc cultist asked while shaking the mud off his foot.

Kreus only sighed with a small grunt. "There are many things in this world that are best left unanswered. That is one of them."

In a distance away from the group of occultists, the Death Knight sat calmly on a small set of ruins, continuing to listening to the soft music that came from his tiny music box. He listened ever so carefully paying much detail to ever sound it makes as it both puts him at ease but also made him look sad in a way, despite his face being hidden behind the metal mask of his helmet.

On his lap gripped by his right clawed hand he stared at his custom two-handed runeblade featuring skeletal draconic influences in its design. The weapon was a silvery double-edged sword. Featuring a blade with moderately tapered sharp point, and fin-like flares above the handguard with cutouts in the blade just above that. It had a metal guard with a dragon's skull-design on each side. Each possessing deep azure glowing colored eyes and clawed, wing-like structures branching out from the sides of the dragon's skull. The contoured two-handed grip was wrapped in torn dark cloth along with a pommel that looks like the end of a dragon's tail, pointed and arrow-like in form. However, above all else, it's most noticeable feature was the series of exotic death runes that extended along the flat of the blade, each rune emanating with the same glowing azure color as the eyes on the hilt.

"I told you I would return. You need not follow me." he spoke all of a sudden, closing the music box and turning his attention to the water to his right to see the same Naga he knew so very much risen shyfly from the waters.

Placing his runesword back behind the right of his back, he moved up from where he sat and walked over towards her. Her eyes were glowing in anticipation, her skin was soft as she gently touched his frozen metal clawed hand. He could see the look of hopefulness in her eyes, eager to hear his words.

He could only sigh gently as he kneeled down and softly as he could, lovingly pet her head. Taking absolute caution not to hurt her with his metal claws or his ice cold touch.

"I cannot imagine what it has been like for you all these years? But please stay here, I do not want to see you suffer in my quest." he spoke as softly as his dark echoing voice would allow him.

She tried to speak with her voice, but the impairment she had suffered stopped her. Her lower body was moving around, trying to get closer to him as her hands reached out to remove the helmet from his head and puts it aside, letting her hands touch what remained of the frozen skin of his cheeks. "I will suffer for you…" He heard her say as the lower part of her body moved around erratically under the waters. Her tail had become shorter as the skin was protruding, her lower half began to shape as it split in two. The fins that covered around her now covered her waist as the shape of humanoid yet digitigrade finned legs began to form from where her tail used to be. Her tail seemed to have moved behind her slightly above her plump rear as it have formed along with her legs. She moved her legs around adjust and slowly moving towards him as her legs gave her the mobility to stand on the ground. When she almost tripped, Lazarus was there to softly catch her.

"You used to be so youthful, so young, so handsome, and have such thick muscles." she whispered in his head.

"I know, but I have not lost my strength though. If anything, I am much stronger than I was when I was alive." he answered while he gently held her close to him. She shivered greatly from the deeply cold aura that came from him, so he softly let her go and sat her down.

He stood up and she followed, she was just slightly shorter than him, just able to reach the tip of her head to the level of his eye. She wanted to hold him, to feel him, but she felt that it was not the time for that as the only person that made her feel what love is like averted her gaze as he looked to his side.

She too looked to where he was looking at. There ontop of a set of ruins stood an undead high elf dark ranger. Her skin was dull, gray, and deathly pale. Her features however still reside the beauty of her high elven features. Including a slim, athletic, and graceful build with sharp symmetrical features. Her lips were in the deep shade of purple, her eyes were blood red, and her black hair was long and flowing that reached down to her waist.

The Dark Ranger wore a black short sleeve tunic shirt with matching black fingerless gloves, black trouser pants, and black leather boots. Over this she wore a dark twisted version of Farstrider style leather armor. Consisting of shoulderguards, cuirass, greaves, and gauntlets that encompass both her forearms and the back of her hands. All of which were mulberry red in color and had elaborate silver pattern on them. Finally tired around her neck was a hooded black cloak with her face almost concealed under the hood. She carried a quiver along the right of her back that is filled with arrows and has a black leather strap that goes along her chest and waist.

For weapons she carried a black recurve shortbow with bladed edges for close-combat on her back. On each side she carried a slightly curved short sword with a groove cut at the blade's center to catch and dispatch the blades of enemies.

"Farrah, I imagined you would be here sooner." Lazarus spoke to the Dark Ranger.

"I'm here now Eldon."

"Don't call me that." he harshly demanded.

She hopped down from the ruins to walk by past him and sees the Naga herself. The one that she suspected to have captivated him since in life to death. "This is her my human brother?" she asked.

"You are to guard her with your life from all, even from the Banshee Queen Sylvanas herself until I return, am I understood?" he requested.

The undead ranger saw the damage of the Naga's throat and found a hypothesis. "Is she mute brother?"

"Yes, if she needs anything you are to let her make contact with you with her hand so she may speak in your mind. Of everyone I know, I trust you with this task of such great personal importance to me alone."

She nodded and looked at the Naga. "Well then sister in law, let us know each other."

The Death Knight watched the two walk away into the distance while he retrieved his helmet and placed it back on to hide his terrifying undead face.

For long he stopped when a whimper like call came to his ears. He looked back to see the apple of his being come to him with pleading eyes. He turned and faced her as she became more and more pleading for him to stay, revealing a small trick of tears that is hard to look against the contrast of the waters around her skin.

He softly placed a hand on her cheek to wipe the tears away, becoming frozen from his mere touch alone. He did not say anything, but she knew what he was telling her. So with much deep hidden sadness, she finally gave into his quiet request and walked away with the Dark Ranger that would serve as her guard until he returns for her.

He trudged through the thick swamp and made way to the others who never know the existence of where had been to. All of his pent up emotions with the naga immediately disappeared as his atmosphere no longer have the essence of a once normal being, but rather it returned to his dark and tainted ways.

The shakes and woosh of the leaves around him garnered their attention as he walked through, watching the ball of fel fire in the atmosphere inside the rainforest canopy illuminated the small circle that was clear of trees.

For some time the Warlock and his small group of followers searched for the Death Knight to meet back up with. The only sounds the group were able to hearing being the noises of the water's close by natural movements caused by the winds or the howls of the life that lives within. Kreus kept leading the group forward, using his fel fire to light the way through the almost unending darkness. He would not stop until he along with the others felt a very deep freezing chill in the air. Their breaths once again being visible as some members even wrapped their arms around themselves to try and stay warm.

"What took you?" the group heard the all familiar dark and almost sinister echoing voice.

Kreus smiled as he and the rest saw Lazarus slowly step out of the shadows revealing his dark presence to them.

"I do apologise for being late. I was forced to help that Goblin set up at our base of operations. Who knew he would have so much stuff installed."

"What is the progress of the Artifact Pieces?" Lazarus simply asked moving straight to the point.

The Blood Elf sighed as he motioned for one of the cult members to make a fire torch. "They go well but some of them according to the map are actually located somewhere within minor yet sacred territories of both the Horde and Alliance."

"And the Draenei?"

"I haven't gotten word back yet. But I will be making my way back to Booty Bay to meet up with the troll. And to make sure he gets it done our way, I've sent Daken to help."

"Progress. Progress." Lazarus muttered.

"I'm sorry what now sir?" Kreus asked.

The Death Knight simply walked past the Blood Elf as he just handed him the artifact he acquired sometime ago from the Naga along with the map.

"I need sometime to myself, be sure to bring that Draenei back." he told the Warlock before using a hearthstone to magically teleport somewhere unknown.

* * *

Serga and the others, Quon, Kinar, and the huntress Fylrae were inside the tent, back now to a secure camp with the Captain's men. Watching from the distance were Thark and Cross argued for hours as the old dwarf demanded the captain for a search team to find and track down the priestess.

Fylrae was in the corner, her eyes were averting any gazes that was held to her. They wide as it was telling every bit of what she felt. Her knees was close against her chest as she hugged it tight. Her feline companion just laid there against her in an effort to comfort her master. Her thoughts were somewhere else despite the problems everyone was facing, her thoughts drifted to the image that the torched revealed in the night. The shape of his nose, the lines of his skin, all of it were in her thoughts and she could never deny it, nor bear the thought that what she saw was unfamiliar. It WAS familiar to her, and he had been with her since she was just encased in the womb of her late mother.

"Are you sure that was all you saw Kinar?" Finan asked the Worgen once more on the same question.

"Yes I'm sure. I could barely see either of their images they were both so well hidden in the dark. Before I could get any better look at them, one of them threw this powder in my nose and it knocked me out for hours. Heck I still feel like I'm going to drop any minute now on how much of an effect it's having on me." she answered for the she lost count how many times.

"Has to be a rogue, there's no other way someone could sneak in that well." Finan stated as he then turned towards the Shaman as she handed Kinar something. "Your thoughts Shaman?"

"I do not know much but the image and shape of a Troll garnered my senses." She informed. "We Taurens have great vision in the night."

"What about the other figure?" Finan asked.

"I was unable to see the other. For it moved with great speed and grace that not even a cheetah could keep up with."

Finan noded before looking back at their night elf friend. She still looked traumatised for some reason, as if she saw someone or thing that was in the appearance of a Gnome observed the tears on her eyes. He was a bit surprise to see on how she was acting.

"Oi Night Elf." He called.

Fylrae turned her head. "What?" She asked in response. Her voice was slightly horse.

"Were you able to see the other figure, the one that was actually carrying Alura?" Finan asked softly.

All heads came bursting down to the entrance as the dwarf came, his nose were in blazing fury just as his eyes came to the night elf. "This is all your fault lass." Thark growled at the brooding elven as he spoke wit smitten anger. His narrowed brow came fixated to her, never leaving his gaze from the huntress. "Because of you she's gone. A me never gonna get me sleep for the rest of my miserable being because of you lass. YOU." He angrily stated.

The Frostsaber jumped up to her master defense and growled threateningly at the enraged old Dwarf.

"Calm down Thark she's going through emotional turmoil and if you come in blazing like that you could risk her getting an emotional breakdown and if do that then you can kiss ever finding Alura goodbye." Finan stated calmly.

"Emotional tur-nonsense ma ass. I don't know what her problem with Alura that she be lettin them carry her off like that, but I can never fergive her because of this." Thark stands firm.

"Well you better start forgiving her because she's the only one here that can track Alura. Guys help me out here." Finan asked the others.

"We can never know where they are right now Finan. There is so much possibilities to where they hide her that it be impossible." Serga clarified factually.

Fylrae noded.

"Well gentlemen we need to start thinking of something because considering how Thark was arguing with the captain since last night and is still enraged, it looks like we're on our own. SO unless anyone else has any other ideas I suggest we start listening to them otherwise back off on Fylrae because I've seen this before and she would've taken that shot if something did not horrify her to do that. What she saw was something of truly personal." Finan states.

"Pfff." The dwarf brushes off angrily and pointed an accusing finger. "Personal…..yer right, personal that she be the reason why Alu-"

Fylrae burst to tears as she stood up . "MY BROTHER! HE WAS MY BROTHER!" She shouted at them before suddenly letting her knees buckle in the weight of her emotions. Her eyes were now drowned as her hands clenched just as her arms folded in her chest as she slowly descended her body to the floor. "My brother, my brother, my only remaining…" She whimpered.

Everyone even Thark froze in silence after her confessed outburst. Now it finally made perfect sense why she didn't take the shot last night.

They watched her shook and cry. All of them gave sympathy, but the dwarf hardened his heart. "Aye do not give a damn if that was your fellow lad." He stated, his tone did not change, not even through her confessions.

The huntress did not answer as her cries kept her at bay. She did not held the image of a strong night elf huntress that was raining arrows down the enemy. Rather she had shown the image of a woman that had all of herself drowned in the wake of strong emotions and confessions.

"Hey Thark come on take it easy on her I mean if it really was her own brother it makes sense that she couldn't take the shot." Kinar requested softly.

The dwarf simply turned away and left the tent.

Finan turned his head to Quon who was sitting across from them, chewing on a piece of grass as always.

"Let them their things." Quon broke his silence. "We can't point fingers always."

"So...what do we do?" Kinar asked.

"We don't. There's nothing else to do." He answered.

"As much as I hate to admit it he's got a point. There's allot of ground around us and trying to pin point or track them down would be almost impossible." Finan answered.

"Well we got to do something instead of just sitting here and doing nothing." Kinar interjected.

"I'm sorry Kinar but we can't do anything. This type of land and this type of situation is impossible to track without our heads being cut from our shoulders." Serga noted.

Without nothing else to talk back too even if it pains her to admit she conceded and just nodded. Her arms were slumped over to her knees.

* * *

The arena were filled with the masses as they slumped their bets to the announcer outside the gate. Cries of numbers, bets, and money were heard throughout, nothing else much to do other than to waste money.

The Blood Elf walked through the crowd as he followed the announcer. His mind was fixated to renew the contract as he followed to the manager. He looked over and finally saw a leverage to where he was. Having to walk through the large crowd it was a tiring feet where elbows connect to other body parts just to reach their destination. Nevertheless he was able to meet up to a fellow blood elf counterpart.

"It took you long Zanis, you said this would regard about the contract?" The Blood elf asked.

Zanis nodded as they both walk through the tight crowd, having to turn and twist their upper body. "Yes this would be about the contract, this would be to renew it." He said.

The Blood Elf laughed. "Renew?! Hah, you've got to be joking Zanis. The contract was signed and you'll do as it says. You get all your losses if you lose and you'll triple that when you win." He reminded.

They twist and turn once again to accommodate to the crowd. "You know I can't just put my best warriors for a suicide match." He said.

"You did and you will, it's just business like you said." He replied when he finished talking to another.

"Now-"

His fellow Blood Elf interjected. "Now Zanis, You'll get your money anyway, the contract was signed and you'll do it as it says, you'll get your contract rates or you'll get your contract cancelled. Rich merchants are coming in to watch the match between your warriors both from the factions. They'll be rewarded handsomely by them and some even are attracted to them. So what I'm speaking to you Zanis is that you'll do the contract as it says or crawl back to the shit hole that you came from." The Blood elf told him as he proceeded to the other side of the arena, forcing Zanis to stop his tracks and watch him walk away.

Zanis gripped a fist, slightly if not more enraged from both the Blood Elf reminding him of the 'Shit Hole' and refusing to accept his request. Still he took great care not to show any of this physically while he hid his hand behind his back to conceal his noticeable rage. With nothing else left to do, he pulled out his hearthstone from his pocket and activated it to magically teleport back home.


	23. A Call from an Elf

The young Night Elf took her position, hiding within the bushes as she spotted her target. An adult deer closeby unaware of her presence. Taking deep breaths to ready herself, she drew her bow and prepared her shot. She inhaled deeply as she readied, her eyes were glued to the target, and then her fingers loosened and let the sharp head flew, slicing the air as it propelled. It finally landed, not at the exact mark, but nearly enough for the arrow to slide against the skin, letting the deer run away in fear.

"Very good Fyl, getting better day by day." Her older twin commented, turning her attention away from the target to her own flesh and blood.

"We should be getting home soon. It's almost night, and the forest creatures would be lurking right now." Daken informed her, bending down to take the remaining arrows off the ground.

"Daken…" she called to her brother.

"Yes?" he answered while picking up his kill for the day.

"Nothing…" she responded getting up and following him back to their home.

"Relax dear sister, you will get better I promise." he smiled towards her.

"How were you able to be such a master of this art if we're the same age and have been practicing together for so long?" she asked all of a sudden.

"Protecting you of course you know? Being the only remaining family is not an easy thought to take in." He told her as he draped his arm over her shoulders and messes her hair with his hand, causing her to sigh in annoyance.

"Must you mess with my hair dear brother." she moved his hand away and tries fixing her hair again.

"Yes." he joked followed by a small chuckle. "You know I think you can attract more men to your great beauty for me to have additional target practices if you had your hair that messy." He told her before adding a warning against his fellow counterparts. "I don't want ANY of them to be closing in with you."

She agreed. "Not interested with those things right now brother."

The two continued on down the road with silence for a short amount of time before Daken suddenly spoke.

"Whatever happens Flyrae, you know I won't leave you." he ended the long silence seriously.

She looked towards her brother after hearing those words. She took a short amount of time to take in those words before nodding with a response.

"Of course."

* * *

The young Night Elf awoke slowly from her deep sleep. Her dream of her past about her older twin. Back before he was whatever she saw him to be, made her heart hurt with sadness and her head confused with many questions that kept appearing. She looked over to her Frostsaber Kuura who was laying down behind her and allowed her master to use her as a pillow for comfort last night. Flyrae smile softly under her half mask and reached her hand over to softly pet her close furry friend on the head.

She soon heard noises from outside the tent, something that awoke both her and her Frostsaber. She narrowed her brows, not bothering to disturb anyone as she quietly bolted out from the camp, revealing a dwarf handling his own things in packages.

When Thark finished his packing, he loaded them onto the horse before he noticed the outlines of the night elf starring in the close entrance of the tent, looking at him with confused eyes. The dwarf flared his nose, but no longer bearing the same anger that he had just awhile ago. "What are ye doing here out in the mornin lass?" He asked with narrowed brows as his feet stopped from propelling his body up to ride the horse.

"The question applies to you as well." She countered as she just stood with the same expression, looking at the materials he was caring. None so far, nothing but a few coats of clothes and shrapnels as bullets. "You are going to look for the draenei do you not?" Questioned the huntress.

"This is none of yer business." Stated the dwarf.

Her loyal pet soon exited the tent and did her usual stretch waking up. "Considering the figure that took her resembles my twin brother who I thought was dead all this time. I believe it's officially now my personal business since I have a right to know."

As much as the dwarf hated the idea, there was nothing else to stop the huntress from joining in to find Alura or her own brother. Whatever the case maybe, there are two things that the dwarf sees now in the situation. Larkon is dead, and soon Alura will follow if he can't find her.

"I'm not going to be responsible fer yer own death when it comes to that elven lassy. Yer choice, yer life." The dwarf told her.

"What about the others? The worgen? What will she do here?" Fylrae asked.

"Someone will handle fer her." He told as he scooted up and placed his foot to the strap so that he could mount the horse.

Kuura finished her stretch and laid down for her master to mount her. Flyrae did not need to pack much since she had always traveled light like she was taught to do. Even sleeping in her own usual outfit. She quietly tied some supplies to Kuura's saddle and hopped onto her while the Frost Saber stood back up and was ready to move out.

* * *

The Draenei found herself slowly waking from what she thought was a nightmare at the feeling of someone tapping onto one of her hooves. Her head ached, her lips were dry as her body refused to respond to her commands.

"Time do wake up maiden. Wezz got some things to take care of." the Troll said as he kept tapping onto her hoof to try and wake her up.

Alura only responded by slowly waking up but did her best to avoid the gaze of the rouge. Clutching her arms against herself, trying to let her skin press against her muscles, just to stay away from the obviously perverted gaze.

"Alright now dat you good and wake. Time for yer haircut." Kor informs while drawing one of his knives.

Her eyes widened as her hands suddenly found themselves on her soft, but obviously messy locks because of the following days that she had to endure. Gritting her teeth showing her protest, opening her mouth to form a response. "You will not!" She tried to shout, but her voice no longer heeded.

"Oh come on now. Don't need no one recognizing ye on our way to booty bay. So we needs to disguise ye as a slave. So make it easy for ye self and turn around to let me cut you'll pretty hair. Old Daken is looking around for a slave cart to make de trip faster and easier on us." Kor requested as he softly placed a hand on her shoulders and tried tuning her around gently.

She jerked away from him, only for the troll to force his hand onto her chin. Then the draenei waned down her anger as she let the troll pick up his knife and press it against the locks of her hair. One swift slash and her waist length hair was reduced to half it's original length.

"Let's try and get this over with."

The troll cleaned his knife and continued on with cutting her hair. It both horrified and sadden her to the point of tears forming in her eyes as she was forced to watch piece by piece of her hair carefully being sliced off of her. She dared not stop him or move from her sitting position in fear that he may slash her throat with his blade so close to her neck. She did not count how long it took the troll but she knew it some time before he would eventually finish.

"Ad there we go, see not dat bad hu? Here take a look." Kor spoke, pulling a broken shard of a mirror out to show Alura her new haircut.

Her new hairstyle consisted of bangs and two bits of hair that hang down either side of her face at the base of her horns with the back of her hair hanging down a little below her neckline. Allowing the two tendrils at the base behind each pointed ear to hang down to just a little above her breasts. As much as she hated to admit it, she had to painfully agree that she somewhat liked her new haircut.

"Now dat we got that aside. Time for ye to change out of those priestess clothes and into something more...convincing…" Kor smirked underneath his half mask.

She shuddered and made no response. Fear and Isolation was looming over her, no longer finding the confines of her own dignity to protect it. As the Troll moved closer to her, she felt a somewhat internal war going on within herself. With her mind telling her to try and run again but her body was telling her no. All of which was used to cause her to listen to her body and not move while the rouge made his advancements towards her.

Suddenly with a quick throw of strange white powder, the same powder he used to put her asleep, forced her eyes to once again be heavy. She looked at him with half closed eyes, trying to regain her consciousness, but alas it was inevitably a losing battle as the core of her body brought her down, causing her head to lay against the soft ground covered with grass.

"Thought I undress ya here hu? Need to get ya out pass da portal and a ride to catch before we get ye a new look to complement yo sexy gifted body maiden." were the last words she was forced to hear before she fell once again back into a deep sleep.

The demon hunter loomed over, watching from behind as his presence let the troll look at behind. "Mon, we be ready for her bringin da the portal, you got to use the voodoo for your horns mon and other freaky deaky demon parts or else to be catchin you." He told him.

Daken's green burning eyes glowed slightly through the blind clof. He again used the small stone Kreus gave him to magically disguise himself that of a normal Night Elf. Reaching for a hooded brown cloak from a travel bag, he concealed his features and carried the sleeping Draenei effortlessly over his shoulder.

"Hey mon, I thought I was going to carry da Draenei?" Kor complained but was quickly silenced by a small look from Daken. "Shit fine, yo win mon."

The sound of moving carts signaled the time as the troll moved and sprint outside the forest to see a small back of inter-faction patrol. The rogue had his arms up in air and shouted in to reveal themselves. "Mon!"

The guards guarding at the portal turned their heads to the direction of the source where they heard the troll shout. The rouge rushed over to the guards in a serious hurry.

"Me friend's priestess friend is in bad shape mon. We need to get her to safety quick!" Kor lied as the hooded night elf revealed himself and carried Alura in his arms to help support his lie.

The guards did not see their deceit. Too many situations have been like this to see any forms of malice and just bolted for the other guards to escort the Night Elf. "Escort the troll and the elf, get them to the evacuation center." The Orc captain of the post commanded.

"Ah bless the mon, spirits praise yu'll kind soul." Kor thanked the Orc captain and moved with Daken to be escorted to an evacuation center.

The three passed through the portal, as Kor's smile was hidden through the sheets of his hood and mask.

"Me momma always used to say I be good in da acting field." Kor joked once the three were a safe enough distance were they would not be bothered. The two strolled through the much more Horde faction to avoid unnecessary contact with her kind.

They shot through the busier areas where one would to be too confined within their own problems to bother with a troll and a night elf carrying an unconscious draenei. The two made sure to keep things to themselves. They also knew they needed to hurry to somewhere where they can continue the next part of their plan without either interruptions from people or their cover blown from the Draenei.

It wouldn't be until sometime later that the Priestess would eventually wake up and find that she and her captors were once again somewhere else far away from civilizations or anything close to it. When she sat up rubbing her aching head, she saw the Night Elf demon hunter just sitting at a rock, staring and watching her with those apparently green glowing eyes through the blindfold.

"Alright Maiden, take dos priestess clothes off and put these on." Kor spoke as he tossed her the slave clothes they wanted her to wear.

She reluctantly agreed as she started taking the two gold rings on her tendrils and tail off. There was nothing to gain in disagreeing what they need when they could just easily strip her themselves and force her to wear them. "Give me privacy please, I promise that I won't run away, it is a vow that I would do." She said.

Kor and Daken looked at each other and turned around, much to the Troll's disappointment. "Fine but if ya try to run again we gonna take you to our boss naked."

With their backs finally turned she turned her attention towards the clothes they threw at her to see what they were going to have her wear.

It was just a series of ragged cloth with holes for her arms and legs to put in. She just sighed in defeat and slowly strip herself down, looking around, trying to confirm that she is safe from uninvited eyes. The fabrics of her cloths flawlessly fall from her as she was exposed bare nude to the wind, letting the wind caress her skin, causing her to shiver due to the coldness of the climate.

She picked up the rags and wears it over her head before placing it down so that her arms can fit through the holes. She looked back to her captors to see if they were looking or anything. When she saw that they still were looking away as they promised, she just sighed and continued to put the outfit on.

She looked over herself, her skin feeling the dirt beneath the silks of the rags as she immediately felt her skin react against the dry dirt, causing it to become itchy. Nonetheless she tried to endure it as she walked back over her captors who was quietly observing the surroundings.

"What does yo'll master want with da Draenei Priestess? A whole word of others just like her what makes her different to him then de other priests and priestess?" the rogue asked.

As always, Daken remained silent and just stared at his surroundings almost like an emotionless statue.

"Ah ye be no fun to talk with." Kor groaned as he continued to look at his surroundings as well.

Meanwhile, Alura continued to put the outfit on her, forcing her to scratch the parts where it was becoming the most itchy places at.

The rustling bushes caught both of their attention and motioned her problems. "These rags you gave me only gives discomfort." She complained.

"Sorry, need ya to look the part so we don arouse any suspicion. Ye can dress back to yo'll normal clothes once me client get's what he wants and I get me pay." the Troll answered before adding. "If ye like, we can take yo naked to me client." he smirked underneath his half mask, hoping that she would take that option.

"I'll rather endure this discomfort than to strip for your perverted eyes." Alura said she continued to dress.

Kor shrugged in defeat and waited for her to finish. When Alura did finished she looked at her reflection through a small puddle and saw just how revealing the outfit made her look. She might as well not be wearing anything at all. The lower half of her back and stomach was as bare as a newborn child, while her shorts that was supposed to 'cover' her was almost like it had just been designed for a prostitute to showboat itself in front of customers. To make things worst, it was tight on her and didn't even fit very well. Her top almost barely could cover the large mounds of her chest while the shorts squeezed real tight on her, especially at her buttocks, giving a perfect view of her cheeks to anyone who looks behind her. All the more making it feel as humiliatingly embarrassing as it was discomfitingly itchy.

"You done yet Maiden?" she heard the troll ask.

Somewhat mad at being forced to put these on, she tried covering herself and walked out of the bushes.

"Just please avert your eyes." she spoke as she walked past the troll, motioning the night elf to lead her where to go. Her outfit feeling like it could tear off at any moment with how her large breasts jiggled with each movement she made.

Kor only followed behind so he could make sure to watch how her quote unquote ass cheeks jiggled and clapped with each movement she made. As well as how her outfit was so tight on her that any possible movement at any moment could cause it to tear off and make her fully nude again. Something he still wish he could see.

* * *

The group treaded down the plains as the captain lead their group. The sudden departure of the Night elf and the dwarf took toll on the worgen as she was teary eyes throughout the ordeal. Only having the shoulder of a tauren to lean on for her to ease out. Kinar wiped her eyes as her horse trotted through the plains.

She looked over to person in front. She knew that the captain had something that she knew gave information on why they depart. "I know that you knew something captain. Don't lie."

The human warrior slowly turned his head to his side and responded. "I have nothing to do with it maiden, it was a dwarven decision that even captains don't know of." He told her.

"Knowing Thark this one's a bit more personal then it would be, and he just doesn't want to take the risk of possibly losing you in the process Kinar. It's best to just head on home and hope Thark will be able to bring your friend back." Finan commented.

"I assume that, he is out there along with the elf on to try and find the draenei." Serga hypothesized before furthering out. "The dwarf is like an overprotective father to her, and I doubt he would just let them take her without trying to find her." The hoofed humanoid said.

Quon smirked a little with a piece of grass in his mouth as he continued writing stuff down in his traveling book.

"So what are you writing down this time Panda?" Finan asked.

"Him." The the panda motioned at the captain. "I say he has history behind closed doors." He told.

Finan just sighed annoyingly while rolling his eyes a little and shrugging in defeat. "I just give up trying to understand what comes out of your mouth. And they say I have a mind like a maze."

The panda narrowed his brows and looked right at the captain. "I say the young maiden is right captain. You have something behind that is the reason behind his departure to find the draenei, or at least helped him." Quon said.

The captain avoided eye contact with the Monk, he simply sighed and kept his eyes focused on what was infront of him. He secretly wanted to avoid the question but did figure that he owed them some form of explanation.

"It's like the gnome said ma'am. He didn't want to risk losing you as well so he went off on his own and was hoping the rest of your guild would be capable of escorting you back to Stormwind with little trouble. So please, let's just not make this any more troubling than it already has become and just honor the old Dwarf's wishes." the Captain spoke.

"Let's see. Because I don't want them to disappear! I like them! And for an old gnome like me who can do nothing, I just pray for that they get back! The war is in our favor and we could party in the next month but we can't do it without them!" Finan mentioned.

"Interesting, I agree, we can only hope that they be fine." Quon smirked a little in interest.

Kinar kept silent during the whole conversation going on, Almost within five minutes of asking the question everyone was already putting it behind even the Pandaren who she didn't think would so fast. She hoped wherever Alura and Thark is they would be alright, both of them would return home like the times back before everything ended up disastrous. She looked over to her Shaman friend and just asked. "What will you do, will you come with us to Stormwind?"

Serga sighed softly, she took time to think of her words carefully which was not long at all when she spoke a few seconds after the Worgen asked her. "No thank you. I am needed still here in the fights against the Iron Horde. My father is still out there and if I am to save my brother from the dark path he walks I must find him and seek guidance and help to save what is left of our family. And during this time soldiers of both the Alliance and the Horde are in need of as many healers and spellcasters as they can get. So when we reach the camp your father is partily in charge of, I must take my leave and make my stay within that camp." she answered softly with a small smile.

The human worgen then look up "Oh, I hope Thark will find Alura and bring her back."

* * *

The Dwarf continued to ride the horse down the long and ever growing dusty road. So much that it was becoming slightly hard for him to see where he was going with his only one good eye. He thought about how he was young at the best years of his prime, and with that, anything else could be done, especially finding Alura.

"Aye sometimes I wish I still had me other eye to help navigate through these sand storms when the situations calls for it." He mumbled to himself quietly enough that the Night Elf would not hear him. Knowing very well she has good hearing and not because of those long pointed ears of hers.

Time has already past. It's been two days within their search for her, and it was clear as daylight that there was nothing else to bother here in Draenor. The dwarf and the huntress knew those kidnappers are from Azeroth, and if they had any attempt on slavery then the only clue they can have is that they knew where most slaver's sell their victims.

The dwarf flared his nose, eager to do everything else to find her, even if it cost him his life he would do it in an instant and without regret. His lips was curled into a deep frown, not with sadness but with deliberate anger held inside him. Held within the confines deep within his own mind because of the loss of a person he considered like his own family. There was nothing short of a father would not do if his daughter has been lost.

"We will be nearing the portal soon. By what you have said the others would still be a day behind us." The huntress uttered.

The dwarf ignored what the huntress had said. There was NOTHING she could said that would suggest for him. His eyes didn't even give off a single glance for the night elf as he paid his attention right through the portal, his eyes were in flames of delving heated anger. He just flared his nose for her to get the message. Despite joining in, he was not going to let that huntress say for him, this is his quest, not her's. If whatever miracle that he would be able to recover Alura, he would immediately go home, leaving her behind to fend for herself to find her own brother.

In the meantime, Flyrae knew the Dwarf still must've had harsh feelings of her. Considering she just allowed the figure that apparently was her brother, kidnapped the closing thing to a daughter he had. She was no stranger to stuff like this, yet like the Dwarf this quest was personal. True the being looked allot like her brother, it was something she did not remember him ever being, almost a demon in many ways. She did not know who or what this figure is, she did not know if it was even her brother. However she knew she had a right to know and if she must she will strangle an answer out of this being with her own hands if she must

"We be restin here fer now, it be duskin." Thark said as he stopped his horse.

The Night elf looked over to the sunset and decided to agree to what he said. Though despite being so looking casually at the dwarf, she could easily sense his own bitterness and resentment to everything. Some of it was directed to her but she didn't complain. She can't because all of this started with her. Too selfish for her own right to release the arrow and save the draenei. She exchanged it with a CHANCE that the figure could be her own flesh and blood, the last one that she had known.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Kuura purring to grab her attention. She looked down to see her close companion looking towards her with deep concern. Her frost saber always knew when she was in deep thoughts that troubled her mind. She reached a hand down and petted her pet's head behind the ears softly as they stopped.

She hopped off of Kuura just as the large frost saber stretched herself with a loud yawn of tiredness before laying down. Flyrae petted her companion's head once more before sitting down and laying back onto the soft fur of her pet.

"Flimmin rocks." The dwarf cursed as the rocks rubbed against creating a spark, yet didn't spark a fire for them to warm in the night. After a few more rough failures the dwarf decided to just throw the rock out against the nearest three with force. His grunts of frustration were exceeding noticeable and back off and sat down on the pack of his bags.

The Night Elf watched the Dwarf in his attempts to try and start a fire, taking note of his frustration and ever growing noticeable anger. When he eventually gave up, she reached over her bags and pulled out specially carved rocks. Walking over, she rubbed the special rocks together close to the small batch of firewood the dwarf had set up. Sparks flew without much trouble and with little effort, had sparked some small fire on the wood. Lowering her half mask down, she carefully blew at the small flames to spread more to the wood until it would eventually begin the fire that they needed for the night.

With that success, she decided to leave her half mask off for the night as she walked back over to Kuura while also taking her hood off. She placed the special rocks back in her bags before sitting back down on the ground and lay back on her frost saber.

"I should've never allowed her to take this quest." the old Dwarf spoke quietly to himself. Forgetting that Flyrae close by was able to hear his words.

The night elf look over at the dwarf, forming a frown as she huddled her knees close against her chest as her companion draped her body for the night elf to have a form of cushion on. She looked at him, his eyes crossing against the flames as it reflected back. The huntress wanted to say something, something positive, but there was none that could escape from her mouth.

She wondered, wondering if he could truly find the draenei. "We will find her." The elven positively encouraged.

Thark did not take his eye off of the dancing flames in front of him. His only response was a sad sigh as he did not move much. He had changed from being full of rage to being full of sadness now. "Aye…" was all he was able to say at this moment.

The huntress narrowed her brows, just as her lips curled down even more. She wanted to build in trusts between her and the dwarf, wanting to achieve both of what they want. The mystery of her brother, and the recovery of the draenei. Even if it cost something valuable as long as they succeed, it would be worth it.

The elven huntress looked at her saber and with a raise of her brow, the feline arose from where it lay and decided to lay along at the back of the dwarf. Offering herself as a cushion just like it did for her master.

The dwarf noticed and looked at the night elf with slight annoyance. "Aye, what are you doing lass." His bearded face turned.

"I wanted to help you, not just to find my own brother but also for the draenei." She told him.

He looked at her for a moment, looked towards her frost saber who was purring at him, and sighed in defeat on this subject. He layed back on the large cat though he stayed very cautious to not try and do anything accidently that may tick the large fang pet for any possible reason.

"I understand, but you were right for your temper towards me. I had my target right within my sights and my shot ready but...I chose not to take it. I don't know I just froze right there. And the sad thing is this...thing whatever it is may not even be my brother. It looked alot like my brother but my brother was never...whatever that was…" she spoke in her attempts to apologise.

Thark did not say anything, he just didn't feel like doing anything except for one thing and that was to save Alura. He watched as the Huntress took her traveling bags and used them as a makeshift pillow for sleeping tonight. He looked over his shoulder to the Frost Saber had already gone to sleep tonight.

"Forgive me." She mumbled under her breath.

* * *

The priestess had been traveling with her two captors in rags that made her almost naked out in the middle of nowhere for the entire day. Only stopping to rest for only rare moments. If she wasn't so tired at this moment she would slap the perverted troll behind her that had been staring at her butt and tail for the entire trip.

"Mon, they be farmers and them horses and their carts. Maybe we be stealin from them?" Kor asked from the distance as he stood atop of a tree scouting.

The Priestess had to sit down and rest after so long of a walk with little to almost no rest at all. It had already been one day with these two dressed as a slave and already she was sweaty, ichy, dirty, and tired. The sweat from her body had moisten her slave clothes and made it that more discomforting to wear. Despite the temptation to want to tear them off, she was already close to being fully nude so she refuse to continue naked for them.

She looked towards the Demon Hunter. Unlike the perverted Troll, the Night Elf at least made this experience not as bad as it could have been. At least he was respectful enough to respect her wishes to not be stare at in such perverse manner like someone she knew above in the trees. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt the Night Elf hand her a canteen for her to drink water from and hydrate herself.

She immediately accepted and drank down till it only remains the half. The priestess sighed, desperate to relieve the itchiness underneath her 'clothes.' With a soft sigh, she decided to pour down on the 'V' of her waist, trying to wash down the dirt and grime that itched her skin. The water stained her clothes, along with the silk's tightness that it slightly imprinted her undergarments.

She saw the Night Elf watching her but not in a perverted way she thought he would. In many ways it felt like it was just him watching her as if to make sure she was in better shape to travel. Just standing there with the only movement he made was his chest when he breathed. Other than that he spoke no word or made no sound. Almost like that of an emotionless statue that could move if it wanted.

Feeling somewhat more comfortable now refreshed and rehydrated, she handed the canteen of water back to the Demon Hunter while saying. "Thank you…"

Again without a word, the Demon Hunter accepted the canteen and turned back around to see the Rouge from the distance to try buy a cart and horses for them to travel faster and easier on. It was very easy to tell that Kor was trying to persuade the figure into selling him the horses and cart for a cheaper price but the figure refused to budge on his already agreed price.

The hybrid can wait no longer and motioned the draenei to to follow him. They both walked towards where the troll and the figure's conversation took place. A human, a poor farmer to assume, along and standing where a woman and small toddlers, girls and boys no aging in four or five. It seemed that the troll was threatening them rather than negotiating, judging by the man's begging. Nevertheless the disguised demon hunter revealed himself and throw a bag of gold at the poor family, buying what they have for more than it's worth ten fold.

"About time mon, any later and I be force to take it from dem. And I ante be in no mood for that since we be in a hurry to deliver de Priestess to yo'll master." Kor grunted. As he watched the family leave.

Daken ignored him and stayed quiet as they brought the cart and horses out of the stables. Motioning for Alura to come heather, the Priestess did as she was told. She watched as the Troll was making some necessary changes to the cart while the Demon Hunter placed a chain around her neck to finish the disguise look they needed for her and to make sure she doesn't run off like the other night.

"Five days mon, five days be trekkin before we be reaching Stranglethorn." Kor informed as he readied the horse to move.

Daken moved the Draenei in the back of the caged cart, once more not saying anything to respond. Only focusing on the objective at hand. Since he already had the Draenei's neck chained he chained her shackles to the floor of the cart to insure she would be staying in her place.

Alura carefully tugged the shackles on her neck, scratching her nape in discomfort. Her eyes began to water down once again, realizing wherever they will take her would surely kill her from the moment they would be done with her, or if they would be even be done with her. What ever master they serve could easily have its way on her with sadistic pleasure, and then throw her to his servants for them also to have their way on her.

The series of whimpers broke from her lips as tears pool down her cheeks. Her knees bent down on the wooden floor, chained like a slave. Because right now, she is a slave.

Kor looked back towards her over his shoulder. As bad as he knew he was he wasn't without some heart as he somewhat felt a little bad for the poor Priestess. With a heavy sigh he turned back around to face forward before moving his eyes to look towards his companion. As always like a robot or statue, the Night Elf was simply looking straight forward with no emotion or words.

"I be serious mon. What does yo'll master want with a fine maiden like her anyrate? It's not she be any use to him considering what he be." Kor asked quietly enough so the Priestess didn't hear them.

Like he expected, Daken remained silent and said not a word. He just kept the horses in line to transport them to where they needed to go without a word.

* * *

Larkon continued to practice his sword skill on the dummies that surrounded him. Losing track on how long he had been at practice and not really giving a single care in the world. All that he focused right now was preparing for the handicap match he and Urak had to attend pretty soon.

With nonstop determination, he slashed and beat the dummies with his wooden practice sword until the dummies were bent, his sword torn, and his body heavily covered in sweat. Occasionally he would switch to his hand to hand combat style and punch or kick the dummies to the point where his knuckles and knuckles would bleed.

The sound of a creak indicated a person entering in. He looked over to see Rachel bringing in water for him. He could easily say that she was now adapted to being a slave to a somewhat, rewarding master for to an innocent person.

"Thank you Rachel." He commented, as he walked towards the tray and gulped down what she had brought.

"Um Larkon…" she was about to say something regarding an order her master requested until she noticed his bleeding knuckles and ankles. "My goodness your hands and legs!"

"Hu oh...yeah just been training hard nothing serious. Don't mind these I've had much worse." he spoke as he finished cooling off and set the cup of water down. "So don't tell me, master wants to speak to me?"

"Well...uh yes, he wanted to have a little word with you and Urak personally before you leave for the match tomorrow." she answered.

The gladiator grunted. "What does he want from me now?" He mumbled as he walked outside.

"Just to have a small talk, nothing else, nothing more." she answered.

Larkon looked at her with slight confusion. It's not everyday the master wanted to have a small talk personally. Shrugging he really didn't seem to care either way.

"Waite…" the human called back.

"Yeah?" he stopped but still had his back turned to her as he didn't want to keep the master waiting.

"Try to be very careful tomorrow please." she requested softly.

He only nodded and responds to continue on, finding the people he would need to talk to just around the halls. "What do you want now?"

Zan who was just sitting in a chair drinking a glass of wine was just staring up into the night sky. Before long they were soon joined by the Orc who asked the same question.

"Glad you two could make it." the blood elf spoke.

"What? We're busy the same." Larkon informed with evident venom in his voice. "There is nothing in here for me, because all I need to know is to kill. I'm required to kill, so I kill, that's what you taught."

"A Nice meal has been readied for you both, along with beautiful baths. And if you two want, I can order my females to lay with you two for a pleasurable night. A week would go by and you will need to be at your best."

Both the Orc and Human looked at each other in confusion and looked back to their Blood Elf master who just continued to smoke his pipe peacefully while watching the stars above.

"Leave your women, I do not need any to bed me." Larkon spat.

Zan just stayed quiet for a short moment. "And you Urak?"

"As I said when I first arrived. I am forever loyal to my mate and will not bed no other woman but her. So I don't need your females." Urak spoke calmly.

Zan only took another wiff of his pipe and just waved his hand to dismiss them. "Suit yourselves, but you two better be at your best come in a week from now."

Larkon sneered with slight anger as he turned his back from his master and made way back within the halls of the arena. The moonlight shined upon the cemented walls of the arena, with his orc counterpart leaving him alone in favour with the fine dining that he was offered. The human gladiators lips curled tightly into a furious frown as he trained himself up to be ready to what is to come. His eyes keen and focused on to the floor as he pushed himself up. Time passed as the sweat of his body began to cover him once more.

The the sound of a creaking door caught the gladiator's attention. He turned to see an elf, adorned with her light purple skin and her long flowing hair of blue color. She walked towards him with a noticeable swing of her hips. Her lips curled to a seductive smile as she walked before him, facing his eyes the color solver of hers.

The warrior flared his nostrils, not from his own exhaustion but from the moment she had her hand coming to contact at his side. His body stiffens to her touch and narrowed at the notice of her seduction. "Why are you here?" He asked.

Seleara smiled and pursed her lips to curl a seductive smile at the gladiator. Her arms crossing his side, though no longer touching his bare skin. "I'll ask the same to you Larkon, why are you here….all alone in the night?" She answered him with a very noticeable seductive tone.

"Training what does it look like." he answered. He tired continuing but stopped when she softly placed a hand on his arm and gently moved it to drop the sword to the ground.

"Everyone has their limits, even experienced or skilled fighters such as you. True you must keep practicing to hone and sharpen your skills but everyone has their own unique limit to how long or how much they must train. From the looks of your body, I say you've reached your limit and must now rest." she said softly to him, holding his hand gently before slowly guiding his calloused hand to her feminine parts. Letting her hand guide his to the softness of her breast.

"I will give you rest…..gladiator and…...so much more." She told him as she closed their gap, her eyes looking over to his as her lips stroke his, feeling the testosterones her male counterpart emitted in the private sanctuary they both dwell in.

He softly brought a hand up to her face, caressing her cheek gently with his rough battle harden hands. Stopping to her chin, he softly pushed her head up, making further eye contact with the Night Elf before slowly reaching down a little to kiss her soft angelic lips with his smoothly.

She need not much effort to deepen the kiss as he used his other hand to wrap around her waist and bring her closer to his body. Pressing her large covered breasts to his naked and hard heavily muscled chest. Carefully they slipped their tongues into each other's mouths to twirl around within one another's entrance. Skillfully without her even knowing until the last moment she felt a hand reach down to rub her covered folds through her trouser shorts.

"So much prowess….." She told him through the heated kiss, eagerly acknowledging the human's touch as the nature of her feminine parts did their work. Her hand slip from the bare back of his muscles all the way down to the imprisoned tool of her lover tonight. By her touch he immediately swelled, his well endowed anatomy surprising the night elf. "So well…..endowed, I never felt such size….and I had partners before." She commented.

Releasing a soft moan, she looked back to see the human softly rub and play with her mound underneath her tunic shirt. Eventually moving his hands up to her tunic to remove the garment. Leaving her chest as bare as his as he continued to play with her mounds. This time using both of his hands for both her breasts as he pressed his weight against her. Moving her down to lay her against the cold floor.

"By the goddess…" she moaned at such a wonderful feeling on her chest from the hands of this human. Her eyes were glistening in anticipation, to just let her current partner just ravage her, take her and thrust all his weight against her to show what his worth, to pleasure her like none had done before.

The warrior held up his body as he undo his own pants, grunting with eager vigor of lust towards the elven female who seduced and aroused his inner desire. With the swoosh of the sounds of clothes falling down, he revealed himself to her fully.

The elven of the night blushed. She could see clearly his phallus come hanging down loosely. Clearly her eyes could described it as 'in an arm's length' and did the same with his girth. "Oh my…" She gasped. She could just wondered how the small blood elf could take him inside.

He only continued with reaching his strong hands to the waistbands of her trouser shorts to slowly move them down her long beautiful thin strong legs. The slow anticipation being enough to drive her almost crazy for what was about to come. Only stopping at her ankles to allow her to kick them aside to the corner and finally become as naked as he was.

With them now rid of all their clothes, Larkon moved his head down to her's and kissed her soft lips gently however it was only a short kiss. Slowly moving his mouth to make small butterfly kisses from her mouth down to her chest, stomach, and eventually to her womanhood.

The elven hissed, clearly frustrated from his teasing. She was not the type of woman who is favored to foreplay. Because she was the type that was in loved with the thought of a strong man thrusting her smaller frame. Pleasuring her to the extent that eyes will roll when her inevitable climax takes her high up.

"Just stop your teasing, and take me….." She moaned.

He looked up with his eyes while his mouth sucked and licked her womanly folds. He smiled and brought himself back up to her to make out. Giving her a small taste of her own leaking juices before he grabbed her waist and pulled her to lay ontop of him. Gently he guided her to his throbbing member and wasted no time to penetrate and thrust inside her.

The night elf leaned down and kissed her lover for the night. She could see his frustrations when she noticed not all of him went inside her chamber, already bottoming out. Reaching the entrance of her womb when he slid half of him inside before stopping then completely, unable to be engulfed fully by her clutching walls. Nonetheless his length only served to give her leverage as his girth stretched her fully to her breaking limits. At last the pleasure shook her as he thrusted upwards, still trying in effort to enter more inside of her. Each thrust he made shook her body, her mind, her soul, all engulfed by the lust driven hormones.

"You….so much vigor, so much power…..so much prowess." She told him through panted breaths as she felt his arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her into a deeper embrace where her silver eyes met his just as their slick bodies made the sounds of two lovers under the lone night.

He didn't answer as the thrusts provided the words she needed to hear. His lips curling to an egoistic smile, surely boosting after a series of comments of size, vigor and prowess about his ability to pleasure.

Her ever increasing moans escaped her lips as she released him of the embrace and arched back while she grinded her womanly entrance at a perfect match pace to meet with his thrusts. She knew she was growing close as she felt the pleasure building up ever more as they increased her speed. Was this turning into a challenge on who would release first she wondered? Still whatever the case she decided to reach her arms behind her head and swirl and move her belly in a hypnotic belly dance that would make a Horde stripper jealous.

Her tricked seem to work as the look on his face cringed as it looked as if he was growing close and ever more desperate for that pleasurable release. To her disadvantage however he moved his hands from her waist and grab her large soft bouncing mounds to squeeze them tight. As if holding on tightly to the upcoming release he would soon experience. Adding to her own surprise, he rose up and from his back and pinned her to the ground, this time being the one who is on top.

He would just smile and grunt as he increased the strength of his thrust, his impending release becoming closer and closer in every thrust he would do. The gladiator would just notice the night elf's narrowed brow of submission each time he would try to thrust down the remaining half of his well endowed phallus.

The Elven narrowed her brow even further, looking up at him, her legs buckled from his waist and lands down on the cold floor as the insides of her legs tingled. Her climax unbearably near to the extent that it already clouded her eyes. She could no longer see the warrior, but rather she could see the image of pleasure reaching down on her groin, she could 'feel' the absolute bliss of ecstasy within the image of her pinned down on the floor by a human gladiator.

She closed her eyes as her released finally reached. It engulfed her body like a wildfire burning down the forest hills. Tears slowly trickle down at the edge of her eyes as he delivered a very deep thrust that it even delivered pain inside her. A pleasurable pain that could be unmatched by lovers that she would have in the future, or as if, does she even plan to have a lover in the future? Perhaps not. Because the sweet fires of lust that plagued her body has been finally extinguished by his emissions released within her.

Wrapping his strong muscular arms around her, he grabbed hold of her sweating body and stood up on his feet to continue and perhaps finish in a standing position. Thrusting and spearing inside her walls with ever increased speed and power. Having no choice she wrapped her legs around his waist and grabbed onto his shoulder as he was going at it like she had never seen any human or any man had ever done before. His thrusts were becoming so powerful and fast they had lost track of time on how powerful the pleasure was. They did know however that it would not last for the pleasure had reached it peak and the released at the same time.

The human warrior grunting and moaning as the soft spraying liquid that coated all of his crotch and drip onto the floor below to make a small puddle. She in return let out a pleasurable scream as she felt his shaft spew his large and heavy load inside her womb. Coating her soft walls with his essence.

"I…'ve got to rest…." She said.

"Then we will rest here. Forgive me If pleasure overtook my senses of safety." he softly spoke to her as he plopped back on the floor with her on top. Gently lowering his head to her beautiful soft large mounds and suck on both her nipples like a newborn babe.

"It is fine, our master has us always take herbs to insure our safety." she answered as she held his head close to her chest and allowed him to continue his worshipping of her chest. Eventually falling to a deep restful sleep alongside Larkon who was first to fall to such a peaceful sleep before her.


	24. A Curious Little One

**Sorry guys for the late updates. I wasn't feeling so up for today, a lot of blackmailing and a lot of hate mails were in my inbox, but I paid no heed to them, the reviews of the story speaks for themselves. PEACE!**

 **Guest: Well? Glad to see your enthusiasm in the story. I see that you haven't grown tired of it? :) Thanks for the reviews, Fylrae will try to really know if it was her own flesh and blood. You are the first here to actually support what they are planning for Alura...weird.  
**

 **Master DA: To be honest I'm not really good on making lemons...It wasn't me who write it, but it was my cousin, she has a talent on the usage of words during lemon scenes, the lil swedish girl writes better than me...lol. But anyhow, I'm glad you liked it.**

* * *

She felt the familiar sudden urge of waking up once more. Her eyes opening wishing that all she had been experiencing was nothing more but a horrible nightmare. Alas she woke up still laying on the floor of the cage that carried her to wherever these two men had intend to bring her to, still in these terrible itchy revealing clothes, and her neck still chained to the shackles that kept her in place.

Her face leaned over to see her captors leading on a horse, while pouches of water was sprawled within her surrounding areas for her to just drink on. She didn't feel like having any drinks of water, instead she simply sat up with her back to the cage bars and brought her knees close to her for her chin to rest on. Deep in her mind she just could not understand how her whole life change for the worse in a matter of seconds.

"Mon the blood elf be comin here in any moment." Kor informed the Demon hunter before looking over at the draenei which he skillfully climbed off his horse and jumped over at the cart, opening the metal door before kneeling down at the Draenei. "Ohh how be doin sleepen beauteh." Kor said as he groped her bare legs before being slapped off by the draenei.

Her only response other than the slap was just merely looking away from the Troll. Though her mind did wondered who this Blood Elf they were talking about was. Strange really, did they kidnapped her on purpose or was she just a random Draenei female their master requested of them. Either way she knew once they reached their master there would be no more hope for to ever return to her home.

The strolling of the carts soon came to a stop when the demon hunter stopped the horses through the tugs of the leash. He looked around the area of the forest, feeling a familiar presence. He looked at the troll which the troll immediately noticed what he was asking, leaving the draenei be, closing the door and walking over to the location where the demon hunter pointed, at which it was a small clearing at the side of the rode.

"Oi mon, de be hidin, it be us." Kor said to the nothingness of the clearing.

There was no response to anything, all was silent, they didn't even hear the sound of the forests natural creatures or insects, just total silence. With a shrug, the rouge turned around and was about to walk back to the carts until he suddenly felt a soft hand on his shoulder and immediately turned around. Before him in that instant was one of the Blood Elf's succubus just standing there with a pair of clothes draped around her arm, while the other revealed herself beside the first.

"Hoy mon don't be creepen on us like dat." the troll spoke before pointing to the Draenei. "Well we be found de priestess mon. Like de boss wants. She be right over there for ya to check and inspect fer yo'll self."

The demon hunter motioned a hand to which the succubuses poofed bags of gold in their hands, presenting it to the troll. "Leave us be troll, we no longer need your services." The succubi said.

The troll happily took the bags of gold, checking their weight and contents before smirking happily underneath his face mask. "Pleasure doing business with ya mon. Mind if I stay just for a little longer for de show?"

The succubi ignored the troll as the demon hunter opened the metal gates and allowed the draenei to walk out. She walked to where the demon hunter motioned, feeling so bare, so humiliated and especially scared. Her lips escaped a hic when one of the succubus's went behind her back, instantly pressing her body against hers while wrapping her arm around her waist while the other had gone to grope her one of her large breasts.

"Hmmmm…..I hate it when something is more beautiful than me." The succubi whispered to her ear before sticking out her tongue then began to lick. Trailing from her neck, occasionally toying one of her tendrils before trailing back up as a trail of saliva was left. Letting the draenei coo in a mixture of humility and slight pleasure on what the succubi was doing, and then finally finding her neck to which she made circles on her ear with her tongue.

"Well how is she sister? Is she as tasteful as my vision tells me is giving you?" the other Succubus asked as she grabbed both the female Draenei's breasts. Making the Priestess yelp in fear and horror as one female demon played with her large almost exposed jiggling breasts while she continued to lick her cheek and tendrils.

"Your vision does not compare." The other succubi said as she resumed before finally letting her hands grip the tugs of her ragged clothes and then pulling them down hard, letting the Draenei's breast be exposed to the fine air.

"Mon…." The troll muttered, he could just watch the the demons have their seductive ways on the draenei.. Clearly aroused by their actions.

Alura could just whimper from just how horrible this situation was increasing for her. Not only were two female lust demons were haveing their sexeual way with her but even worse, both the Night Elf and Troll were just standing there watching this all as if it was some sick show. Well at least to the troll as the Night Elf showed no emotion or said not a word like always. What was going through his mind while this all happened was beyond her knowledge to understand.

The draenei finally felt her shorts being ripped off from her hips, fully exposing her full nakedness to unwelcomed eyes. She close hers in an effort to push down all the malicious thoughts that was plaguing her right now, trying to find a calm soothing space inside her consciousness. That all ended when she felt a finger snaked its way through her private nethers, violating her dignity, her own physicality.

"Oooooh, what a fine virgin." The succubi who held the draenei said as her finger twirled around inside her, feeling the soft tissue of her maiden head. "It would be so satisfying if we could do more…. Because truly you are the epitome of the example of a maiden…"

"But so sadly our master needs you...pure...for his lord's ritual." the other succubi behind her whispered to her ear before licking it softly and seductively.

"Ritual?' Alura blurted out in confused questioning.

"Oops, I spoke too much. Our master's lord will tell you, but first our master must...test you…" the succubi answered.

"But first we must dress you appropriately to greet him." the other one spoke as she took her finger out of the Priestess' Pure virgin womanhood and softly licked her fingers. "Fine taste, better than the finest wine I have tasted." She told before releasing the draenei from her embrace then finally looking at the troll. "What are you still doing here filth? We do not need you here."

"Aye be just enjoying da show. After all I be earning a small glimpse for da trouble I be putting me self through trying to track da maiden for yo'll master. Who had da nerve and bals to send his emotionless demon hunter pal to watch me every movement." the Troll answered.

"Just leave us be!" The succubi screamed to which the troll gets the answer.

"Alright, alright mon I be goin. Be usin yo moneh fo some elf ass fo mine." Kor said before he turned his back and starts walking away. "Mon not even dem sex demons like me peeping on dem…Dat be bullshit..." he groaned to himself.

When the troll eventually disappeared from sight, the two sex demons turned their attention back to the Draenei Priestess still quivering in fear. The demoness ordered her compatriot to give her the clothing, or whatever necessary needs to clothe the draenei. To the priestess's shock, It was a very fine sleeveless silken robe adorned in the color of a white pearl.

"We need you to dress appropriate by orders of our master to greet his powerful lord. For he has special plans for you." one succubi seductively spoke in Alura's ear as she and her sister pulled the robe up for it to fit, and it did not need time for the robe to slide up to rest on her blue shoulders. "A perfect fit for you priestess." The succubi commented.

Alura was at least glad they covered her up but wished they had given her undergarments as well. The only thing she wore was this elegant sleeveless robe which made her wonder what was going on. From the evidence of the two succubi it was clear that their master had to be some kind of warlock but who was this lord their master served. Why did he ordered them to dress her so finally with such a beautiful robe she had to admit. Her best bet was that this lord they speak of must have some form of fine taste for women before having his way with them. It still made her deeply sad to the point of tears forming in her eyes as if the transaction into this new life was made for her.

"Lead now sister." The succubi said to the other as the Demon Hunter jumps off from the saddle, and used his blades to cut off the chains that binded the horses to allow them to go free.

"The walk will not be long, our master awaits nearby to inspect you and see if you are perfect for his lord's uses." the other spoke to the draenei as the forced her to follow them with the demon hunter following the trio close by.

* * *

The Gladiators were paraded in the streets of the arena, the crowd were busy placing their own money on to who or which fighters. The human and the orc, two races of rivaled history now standing together in an effort to live their lives longer. Their lips curled to a frown as they were presented at the crowds. The mob's eyes was looking closely at the state of the warrior's physicality and mentality.

"Place your bets in now ladies and gentlemen. Two of the war's most harden warriors of death against the arena's finest warriors in a battle to the death. Bets are now ready to be taken." a spokesman spoke to the crowed to allow people to place their bets.

The warriors could see that the crowd was not just composed of commoners. They could clearly see the large numbers of nobles and their families strolling around, observing their end of the bargain. While the parent nobles brought their own selves to place also their bargain, their children on the other hand strolled somewhere, guarded by their loyal guards.

"Apparently we've gotten famous all of a sudden. Funny, I used to picture myself if I ever did get famous, it would be from war, not gladiator battles." Urak mumbled to himself.

Larkon chuckled at the irony of it all. "If we're lucky we keep our heads low, low enough to still have it on our shoulders and continue this starlight."

"I see also that there are many nobles here and their respected families from both factions. The war must've been controlled now to our favour for them to just relax and let their families watch blood and death." Urak muttered.

"I don't care about the war right now. If I get out of here I'll be going home immediately, that's it in mind right now, nothing else other than finishing my sword against the neck of the enemy inside the arena." He said before clutching the necklace of his captain. "My captain wanted his men to go home, and I'll be going home, even if it makes me a demon for a day."

"And what of your enemy from home that is responsible for what lead you to this?" The Orc asked with a raised brow.

"Well the enemy from my home is my own self, when I'll be telling her what I had to do in order to get back home like I promised months before." The human gladiator said, his frown becoming much more pronounced.

"I wasn't talking about yourself. I ask of the enemy who was once your general. The one who sent your captain and his men to die." the Orc corrected.

"Well damn him, I'll have nothing to do with him for all my life. History will judge him, it is not me who will deliver." Larkon answered.

The Orc simply nodes and continues to face forward as the crowd surrounding them continued to place their bets.

Their Blood elf master finally intervened in. "You'll be moved now to the arena cages. The crowds will be observing you both before you will take to fight."

The two nodded and allowed themselves to be taken to the arena cages for the crowed to observe them before the straps had been removed from their metal clad wrist as the arena guards moved them to the public, placing them in cages like animals to be presented on to the people.

The crowd about, whispering, muttering, surrounding the warriors as they locked their eyes on both. Truly the fighters before their eyes had been proven adversaries, and would now fight in their most dangerous grounds of the arena.

The human warrior sat down on the ground soil that protruded through the bars. His eyes on the direction of the ground as he rested his elbows on his knees. He turned and saw his fellow companion being smothered by other people.

A tap on the metal bars caught the human gladiator's attention. He looked over to see a blood elf guard though armed with a weapon, was only draped in normal clothes of a commoner. The blood elven guard then step to his side as a young blood elf girl adorned with light red hair, no older than eleven or twelve stepped in, flicking her finger to indicate the human to walk towards her.

The human raised his brow and stood up, walking over to the blood elf girl who as assured of her safety because of the metal bars blocking the man.

"Hello Gladiator. Are you the one they call Fel warrior?" The young girl asked before being slightly stepped aside by her guard.

"Be careful master Aquea, you are in too close." The guard warned but was immediately dismissed.

"Do not mind me." She ordered and the guard obeyed. "Now, what would be it gladiator?"

The human shook his head at the elf girl who was named Aquea. "I do not recall the title master Aquea. Perhaps you have mistaken me from the others." He said, using her name to entice her curiosity.

"No I do not I believe. They say it was a human, capable of killing hordes of enemies in a single strike, and was like a giant among others. And I see that it matched your description." She said, clearly despite her tone matching much like a mature adult, it still retains innocent curiosity from her matching youth.

"And what would be it that your parents would let their little girl be curious about battles and deaths in the arena." The gladiator mentioned.

"They say letting young heir's watch blood shed makes them stronger. And other than that I wanted to see myself if the rumors about you that spread throughout the nobles of my people are true." She told him, clutching her hand below her stomach as she looked at him with a smiling face.

"Rumors?"

"They say you are a demon, like the rumors say that you would eat a man's face in just one bite." The little girl said.

The Gladiator responded. "Hmmm...A man? I think not...but a little girl's." He smiled.

The elven girl chuckled to his jokes before letting her short laugh wane. "I will pray for you Gladiator. I will be watching at top of the arena to see it for myself." She assured him, and for that the Gladiator was thankful to see somewhat like her will root for him.

"Master Aquea, we would have to go now." The guard mentioned to her.

"I had a fun time talking to you gladiator. I hope that you will get your freedom after this if you win. And I will be rooting for you." She said before turning her back to the gladiator.

"Goodbye Master Aquea." Larkon said.

* * *

The Night Elf Huntress scanned the tracks of a cart on the floor. Feeling a hand at how deep they are and looking towards the direction they were heading. Stranglethorn Vale, home of the dreaded booty bay were rampant illegal slavery was being done, ranging from humans up to the unique and exotic draenei.

It was still a three day walk towards their destination, in hoping that they can find the draenei priestess there. Both the two concluded that she has to be in the home of slavery if she is to be kidnapped with some purpose. They pray that the worse case scenario has not been done...yet, where she was just raped and murdered before being burned to a ditch where none would be able to find her again.

The Night Elf astride with her feline travelled closely with the dwarf who is astride with a horse. Their tension still did not light up, the dwarf still retaining his passive anger on her, but she was used to his piercing glare with his flared nose. Nonetheless it bothered her, nothing else was making her feel any better, not even the feeling of normality. Somehow she did not welcome the feeling of isolation when the dwarf would occasionally voice his desire to tell her not to bother him and also it bothered her when he express his disgust of himself when the draenei was kidnapped.

"Hold." The dwarf suddenly ordered, stopping them both to their tracks. He looked around the surrounding areas, noticing that they had well passed past the Blasted Lands and was now inside a merchant's road, a route common among the marketers to go through the market ridden cities like Stormwind and Booty Bay.

The dwarf then pointed to a direction. It was no threat, a farmer was with his wife and child trekking back to the farmlands of Westfall. Judging from their commoners appearance with a bale of leather as a hat. Astride the head family with a horse while the wife and child was with another. It was a rare sight to see a farmer without his cart to which the Dwarf gestured his night elf companion to close to them.

Once they noticed the two, the family immediately tense themselves up as the mother rode the horse behind her husbands back in case of danger from strangers.

"Aye ye lads needin some help from an old dwarf?" The dwarf asked, and in result the family exhaled in relief.

"Oh thank you kind sir, forgive us for our earlier suspicions. The War has not been kind to others…" the farmer spoke as he turned to the Dwarf and Night Elf.

"Aye ye didn't have yer cart, ye robbed er something lad? It ain't goin good fer ye lass." Thark pointed at the wife and her daughter.

"No, no we were not robbed. We sold our cart the other day to some travelers. Well I wouldn't know to call them travelers or not sir. A Troll and a strange looking Night elf along with an injured Draenei is not a bunch to see. Huh I bet my son would love to hear this back home." he answered looking nervous.

"Draenei? Troll? Night Elf? If I may ask, did you see the current state of the draenei whether or not she has white hair?" Fylrae asked.

"Yes, yes she had white hair, she had to be one of the most prettiest Draeneis I had ever seen. But I don't know about her current state" He spoke before noticing his wife giving him a serious look with her arms crossed. "Not like that dear wife. But yes that had to be her most striking feature. By the looks of it she was dressed like a slave of some sort, I wasn't sure if she was recently purchased or what…" The farmer added before adding a remark. "Illegal slavery is rampant these days. And I'm sure they would be going to Booty Bay."

That was all the information the dwarf needed. "I see, well thank ya lad, that was all I need hear for what I need."

"Was there something going on with the Draenei?" the farmer asked curiously.

"It's best not to worry much, just head to your home dear sir." Fylrae said.

"If I may ask lad, how long ago was it when they purchased your cart?" Thark asked.

"Just three nights ago, they paid me more than it was worth." The farmer said.

Both the Night Elf and Drawf stood there for a moment wondering about the news that were just informed of.

"I see, thank ye lad, we won't trouble ye no more." the old Dwarf thanked the farmer before starting off somewhere.

Flyrae followed Thark along with her friend Kuura until they were a good amount distance from the eyes of the farmer and his family. Thark simply sat under a tree and sighed heavily to himself.

"Damnit...just damnit all…" he kept mumbling to himself.

"We have the information we seek, it's now a matter of time of catching up to them." the Night Elf reasoned.

"Aye and by that time it be too late." he answered.

The Elven huntress narrowed her brow and shot an arrow right over his shoulder. "She will not, not when the arrows of my quiver says so." She stated to him strongly.

The Dwarf smiled. "Aye be sure with that."

* * *

Larkon sat alone in the barracks where they kept the gladiators in before releasing them out into the arena before the fight. Looking around quietly to himself he observed. Some people were ready to fight as if it was all just a common everyday hobby to them. Others by the looks of fear in their eyes were not ready to fight. Only a select few only seemed to care about just getting over with it. As he observed he wondered which one of these three groups did he belong to. Was he one who cared only for the bloodshed, one who was scared to fight, or one who just wanted to be over with the day.

"Deep at thought human?" he heard his Orc counterpart ask him while taking a seat next to him on the bench.

"Bent on going home." Larkon replied, his eyes narrowed down at the arena sands were other gladiators were fighting outside the gates in front of him. He could just see the warriors letting blood flew from their flesh as they roared in battle cry while others screamed in pain. Nothing out of the ordinary on what he experienced here.

"As are we all." Urak replied calmly watching the same fight going on.

Larkon did not respond, only keeping his eyes on the on going battle that raged from outside. Hell bent on watching the fight that took place as his hand clutched the handle of his sword. The time passes slowly as one by one fell to each blade, leaving orphans behind whether they had one.

"Care to listen to some words of advice that a powerful warrior who was once a gladiator told me?" The Orc asked curiously which did catch the human's attention. "Strong is our need for survival and desire to escape the harsh life we warriors have either chose or force in. So strong the desire that chances are we will be consumed by it. Yes our desire to escape this horrid form of the warrior's life is strong indeed but we must not forget what we once were before this life. If not for our sake but the sake of our loved ones." Urak spoke.

That caused the human to chuckle. "Great speech, where did you hear it from?"

"Thrall told me of these words of wisdom." he answered.

"Wisdom doesn't give benefits when demons roam. Sometimes you just need to be a demon yourself when wanting to go home, in order to protect it. Being nothing else would not let you win." Larkon quoted his own.

"Where do you get that quote from?"

"My captain." Larkon answered.

"He is right, but he is wrong also. Sometimes you need the demon inside you to help in dire situations, but never let that demon take over you, or your home will be destroyed by the very person who sought to protect it." Urak commented.

Larkon nodded. "He already said that to me. And I sometimes wonder where that demon wondered inside me when I needed it the most."

"From the situation we find ourselves in currently. I would say now would be a good time."

Larkon bent down and took a small patch of sand to his hands, rubbing it all over his hand before letting his nostrils smell the organic material. He looked over to see what his compatriots will make up to be. He finds out that he and the orc would be the only ones surviving. They would be just giving them a small amount of time for he and the orc to finish off before they finish both of themselves off.

"Human, should anything happen to me. A small request if I may ask. Please find my step daughter and let her know of what became of me. She is the tauren Serga, a shaman for the Horde." Urak requested.

Larkon noded. "Fine, but do me a small request as well. Should something happen to me and you live. See if you can find a Draenei priestess in Stormwind and tell her of my fate. Tell her that he tried fulfilling his promise but ultimately he failed, and wanted her apology."

Urak nodded and with that, the two gladiators shook hands in promise to each other's request should the worse happen to any of them.

* * *

She wasn't sure how long they had been traveling. Alura, the two succubus, and the Demon Hunter Night Elf. They had been walking for she wasn't sure how many hours, all the while they kept a close eye on her in case she would try and escape. Not like it would matter if she was able to escape or not since they would capture her the moment she tried.

They trudged down through the forest canopy, the two succubus gazing their eyes to her form with insatiable lust that can only be sated if they get their hands on her. The Draenei can only look down, watching the grass beneath her hooves with white robe to finally replace the irritation she had suffered in the past week. Her lips was obviously curled into a frown as her tears drips down from the corner of her eyes, while her shoulders were gently but was firmly held by two feminine hands of the demonesses.

"This is the place." One of the succubus announced as they walked before a cave, it was big, just big enough to have the opening to be concluded as wide as a house, while it's halls were deep and wide.

From a distance the Priestess could spot someone sitting at a table. A blood elf of some sort, with painted magical runes around his left eye. In his hands he was reading over something looked and appeared to be a very old book. His mind focused on the book as if trying to understand the contents he was reading.

"Master Kreus, we have brought the Priestess as your Lord requested." the Blood Elf's succubi spoke while kneeling before him.

"Hmmm." The Blood Elf groaned as he stood, looking at the draenei. Alura can describe that he was slightly taller than Larkon, just by a hair in difference but was the smaller man of the two despite being well built and athletically muscular himself. His eyes were fixated on to her as he creeped out a smile in the corner of his lips as his hand made way to her cheeks.

The draenei reacted negatively as she closed her eyes, crying now loudly when his touch reached her cheeks.

"My dear, you need not waste your tears. For I have no intentions of bedding you and taking your priestess hood away. In fact, we need it intact very much." he spoke softly to her but it still made her shiver.

He moved his hand to cup a piece of her pure white colored hair and sniffed it softly. "But I must say, you are a very beautiful priestess my dear. Of all the years of my long existent life, I have never came across someone of such beauty as you." He lets go of her hair and pulled out a small strange looking circular device looking object that had runes inscribed on it. "Give me your hand." he asked softly.

She reluctantly did so, lifting her hand as she averted his gaze. Gently he took her hand and placed it to hold the artifact like piece. Almost upon just touching the artifact the runes glowed with a pure almost sparkling holy light glow. This put a smirk on the Warlock's lips as he lets her hand go. "You're perfect." He uttered as he motioned his two demonesses, "Bring her to the chamber where she will lay in comfort." The Blood Elf ordered.

They both nodded. Each one grabbing her arm and moving her deeper into the cave. She was at this point confused. All the way here she thought that she was to be used to sake someone disgusting lust until he grew tired and gave her to his servants. Instead, she finds herself in a situation she did not understand. What was that artifact in the Warlock's grasp and why did it light up just for her touching it.

Both of the demons alas interrupted her thoughts as they arrived at their destination. Where it was a big prison cell that was clearly forged by magic as rocks protrude to shape the cell, with a large comforting bed in the middle of the cell. All a while the bars were made out to be rusted steel with a small door.

"You'll rest here." The succubus said.

The other Succubus opened the cell while her sister lead the Draenei inside before closing the cell door behind her. Locking her in using their demonic magic to seal the lock tight.

"Oh I almost forgot." Kreus spoke as he entered the area once more and close to the cell bars that kept Alura inside. "I require your hand once more."

She held out her hand and just as she did so, she felt a sharp trick of pain to her hand as the Elf suddenly wiped out his knife to cut the palm of her hand. Cutting deep in her palm to draw deep blue colored blood. Holding it under a vial to collect the blood sample he needed until it was full. Once done he let go of her hand and observed the blue blood full vial he held for him to observe closely.

"I want you two to bring this to Dr. Jiink and see what he can make use out of it with his tests with the artifact. In the meantime I will need to keep her here for the next three days until I find the rest of the artifacts buried within this area while I run some tests of my own to see if she is perfect for the ritual. Am I understood my ladies." Kreus asked the two succubuses.

With a gentle nod from them, he handed the blood vial he collected and watched them be on their way to their destination. He turned to the Night Elf Demon Hunter who stood watch from closeby. "In the meantime Daken you are to insure no one of unfamiliar faces come near her. And she does not leave those bars without my word."

The Night Elf nodes in agreement to his new orders.

Alura watched in tears, her lips still curled to a frown as the Blood Elf left her be, leaving her alone with the Night Elf that will stood guard to her cell. "By the Light help me, bless me, protect me and guide me." She prayed as she walked to her prison bed, letting her injured hand glow, healing the large open wound as the injury left her drained.

She let her head rest on the soft cushion as she broke to a full cry in a quiet whimper. "By the Light, please help me." She muttered.

* * *

 **Don't forget to review guys! There is still some mountains Larkon and Alura needs to climb! Keep on supporting them.**


	25. I'm required to Kill, so I Kill

It had been weeks of a long travel from the black gates to the city of Stormwind. Finally, Joven had returned to the capital of the human race once more. This time accompanied by his wife, Averia. Deep in his mind he was both nervous and sad. Alura's last words to him still had his heart deeply broken if not shattered. Occasionally he would look to his wife, seeing her ever so calm so at peace. He wondered how she is able to be so relaxed more so than him. Truth be told it was her that raised Alura throughout her whole life more so than him. She was the only one out of the two to appear on the day the Church of the Holy Light accepted their daughter as a member.

"You seem troubled my love. Deep at thought from your last conversation with Alura?" Averia asked softly calm.

With a sigh, the Paladin stopped walking, staring at his reflection at the water they crossed over one of the many bridges of the city.

"I just don't know if what has been broken can be repaired. If all my attempts have failed what difference will my future ones make?" he asked sadly.

"I'm sure that you will make a difference. And if Alura meets you now, we will take her to something that would mend our relationship to our daughter once again right? Let father time do it's job first, because we still have more than enough road to get your relationship with Alura back to once it was." Averia replied as she held held his cheeks, assuring what she had said as her striking eyes penetrated his. "You shouldn't worry."

He held her hand close and kissed it softly. "You always had the best of faith in others, even ones like me." he mentioned softly.

"If you wish I will still follow you every step to her…" she started asking before Joven softly interrupted.

"No, I will see her alone and see what she will say. As her father, it's my responsibility to approach this situation at hand alone. If I brought you she would accuse me of using you as a means to win her over to my side. I need to show her how much she is still my whole world as you are as well before we can move to that stage."

His wife smiled underneath the white veil that covered her face as she softly removed it. "As you wish my love. You know where to find me if you need my aide."

"I heard that she and her friend had just arrived. I'll see and talk to her right now." Joven said to her

She bowed her head softly and turned around to move in the opposite direction of the small bridge they were crossing. Allowing him to see their daughter in private as he requested. The Paladin let a soft sigh when a sudden change of feeling was caught in his stomach. Something in a sense that his inner instincts was concerned of, urging him on that something wrong would be given to him. He blinked a couple of times to let the pit of his stomach relax and be on his way to meet Alura. Not knowing that his daughter wouldn't be meeting him.

He trekked down the streets of the town towards the barracks where he heard that the group was accompanied by one of the captains of the men that entered the portal. Knowing that he was no longer needed because the war was now in Alliance and Horde controlled to which it meant victory for them.

He would see the image of a large human clad with armor conversing with Alura's friends, noticing the mortified stare when Kinar looked at him.

Softly he made his way over to the group, taking notice of the worried looks of everyone that noticed his presence.

"Vindicator Joven? Your are back in Stormwind early." the captain mentioned sounding surprised.

He ignored the captain's words at first, his mind more focus on looking around for his daughter. Yet he could not see her in his sights anywhere. "Where is Alura?"

The man's face immediately changed. Sizing up the draenei to his own as their eyes met in an even line. "There's a reason why she is not here with us now Vindicator." He told, and to the paladin that was the only information he needed to what conspired with his daughter. It still did not stop him from asking the question.

"What happened?" he asked with his tone growing both in concern and anger that scared even the captain.

"In the middle of the night, two individuals, a night elf and a troll. Kidnapping, it doesn't say murder Vindicator, we would-" The captain didn't even get to finish his sentence as an armored fist came crashing down on his cheek.

The Paladin didn't hold his tears back as he punched the man and then spearing him over to his back as he pleaded like a father would do to for his daughter. "That was my daughter!" He shouted as he crashed an another fist, but this time the large human was able catch his arm and had his hand on his face trying to calm the bewildered father down.

"Calm yourself Vindicator! I will tell you where she could probably be!" The captain tried.

The look of his face was still of pure outrage with tears of sadness poured from his eyes. Yet he calmed himself at least enough to hear what the captain had to tell him.

Kinar watched him stand, mortified to say anything but had the courage. "Vindicator Joven, I'm-"

"Don't Kinar, you have been her friend since she arrived here, nothing short of anything would convince me that you have a fault in this." Joven said calmly.

Kinar stopped her sentence from hearing those words from him as he let the captain go. Yet it still brought tears to her eyes as she still felt deep at fault for the loss of his daughter, her best friend.

The paladin followed him to a small tent, a tent who once belonged to a friend who also never gets to see his home again.

"We would be able to have one possibility to where she could be right now Vindicator." He said as he gripped his chin with a clenched jaw.

The captain heard a loud armored fist slamming onto the table that stood in front. Yet the look on Joven's face was of regret and sadness.

"I should've sent her back home here when I had the chance…" he mumbled in his regretted sad state.

"There's nothing else that I can do for now. And the Dwarf and an Elf are already moving for the quest on saving the draenei. You can catch up Vindicator, the ones who kidnapped her probably have planned on moving into her weeks or even months before, intent specifically to capture her at that moment on. And the probable cause is perhaps that the rogue organization must have found out that the draenei was volunteering." The large human hypothesized.

"Just tell me where you believe they have taken her. I'll personally go there myself and get her back. I've had enough of the constant outcomes getting in my way to trying to rebuild my relationship with her…" he ordered.

"I'll tell you the truth captain, what I hypothesized along with the dwarf is in the purest form of speculation. Your daughter could have been kidnapped and killed, sold for own personal gains or have been raped and mur-"

Joven interrupted. "Do not let me hear both of those words that would associate with my daughter. CAPTAIN!" He warned.

The captain remained silent as he remained still as Vindicator Joven glared at him with an angry stare that was beginning to make even him nervous. "Now I will ask you one last time. Tell me where you believe they have taken her otherwise stop wasting my time with your nonsense!"

The captain stared at him. "Find her at Booty Bay in the Vale Vindicator. I pray that you'll find her." He said before heading outside.

Without words, Joven stormed his way out of the tent, making his way to the griffon hatch. There he found his trusty Armored Snowy Gryphon. Quickly hopping onto her to grab a fast ride as quick as he could.

* * *

Alura had laid there in the bed of her cell, just now waking up for the she lost count how many time. She checked the little tally marks she had drawn close by to find that it had been three days since she was first caught and trapped for some reason. She looked out of her cell through the bars. As always the blood elf sat close by writing and taking notes, and as always the demon hunter night elf stood emotionlessly close to keep guard.

She could not understand what they were doing and what on earth they needed her for. When she was first captured she had thought that she would end up being one of those sex slaves to be used as a plaything for some sick individual's twisted pleasures. Yet ever since she's got here they so much as not even touched her.

As for moments thought drifted to the deeper blues, her mind caught the brief memory of her friends talking together. It was not that long ago that she was at her happiest, when all friends come about each day, talking on about how it had go, and how it might get even better. All of it shattered the moment war has called out the land and forced friends to fight for them. Jorden, the friends in the barracks, and especially Larkon. She realized it now that they're not coming home, and that they too will now only become a memory at the end of her thoughts. It made her heart shatter like glass as the reality come about, and even with her effort and her delusion of small hope that they could come home, all of it lead to this. Now a prisoner of a deluded and unknown man.

She let the tears take her as her hands laid at her side, while her body was firm as her rear rested on the soft cushion. The tears that once shed to the reason of her friends not coming home, now shed once more to the reason that everything else is going to be a memory in the future, and she could do nothing to stop it.

"Daken, get her out here for a moment please, I need to see another test." the Warlock requested while keeping his eyes on his notes.

The Night Elf turned around towards the Priestess and opened the cell bars to allow her to exit. She sighed heavily to herself and wiped her sad tears away. Standing up, she slowly made her way over to the Blood Elf to see what he wanted this time.

"You know I just realized we've been here for three days now and I don't even know your name." Kreus asked, stopping what he was doing and turning his attention to the Draenei that stood next to him.

She stood there with a silent stare, unwilling to answer his question. Deep inside however, there was a gut feeling that she should not insult his request. "Alura….." She answered.

"Alura, interesting, a name that sounds familiar, one from a famous parentage perhaps?" he asked with a smirk.

Alura nodded, but in the end her outburst of tears resonated once again. As she covered her face with both of her hands.

The blood elf stood up and reached out one of her hands. "You need not to fear Priestess Alura, there is nothing in here that will endanger your life." He said as he holds her hand for him to kiss. "Unless you make an unwarranted decision that could potentially harm yourself." He told her.

"Just what do you want from me?' she begged sadly. Tired and sick of just waiting to find out what purpose this warlock had in store for her.

"All in good time my dear, all in good time. But at the moment, I am in need to, ask a few questions. So first we know your name to be Alura which does sound familiar somehow. So who is your family by chance, is your father famous by chance?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Well see? We're making progress on having a lighter relationship. There's no need to be afraid of me." He told her.

"He's Vindicator Joven…" she answered.

He smiled. "Well, a sincere answer has finally escaped your lips. It's a plus." He told her before referencing some people. "Heroes against the Lich King ey? The Warrior of the South, The Paladin of the Exile and many more to sinuate that fact." He told her. "And how about you priestess. Is there a hero in your life?" He asked.

She nodded once more. "My friends are my heroes."

"Your friends hu? Perhaps we may have something in common after all, despite are vast differences. So who are these friends of yours if I may now ask?" Kreus asked, laying back at his table with his hands crossed.

"A Dwarf….A Worgen, a Gnome, a Panda, a Tauren, and a human….." She told reluctantly.

The Blood Elf picked up his book of notes and started writing the new information down. "Are they perhaps famous heroes such as your father?"

"No, not in the same level as him…" she answered.

"Who is your mother?" he asked next.

She remained silent. "She's just a normal draenei. Nothing of notable trait or achievements." She answered.

Kreus only chuckled at the response. "Oh you make such a poor liar for someone of your holy status, it's quite shocking really. If I recall, Vindicator Joven was still married to Anchorite Averia I believe. Who's quite famous in her own right from what I heard. Is she your mother perhaps?" he got straight to the point.

She nodded once more. "Where are we going with this?...Please, I'm scared." She begged him.

He was about to answer until his two succubi returned from their long trip to report their master's findings.

"Yes?" he asked.

"We have delivered the blood sample to Dr. Jiink and he is most pleased and impressed, so is Lord Lazarus. Our new orders are to bring the Priestess to him at once." they answered.

Just as the draenei wondered, a small but yet hopeful information has arrived in the form of an injured cultist. "Elf! We have an intruder in our territory!" He shouted from nowhere.

The Warlock sighed and closed his notebook of notes, nodding to the demon hunter to take the Draenei back to her cell and guard her with his life.

* * *

3 days ago….

The partner in search walked through the grassy road. They're eyes mainly focused on wide image of the nearby town just up ahead thirty minutes away. They're lips curled into a frown as they crossed their fingers in hope that their gamble would pay off on finding the draenei.

The night elf was turning her head from time to time, seemingly looking at something, or someone specifically. Her eyes were narrowed as the familiar sound of rolling carts were heard on the nearby road. She grunted as deep inside her curiosity flared in trying to find out what the cart was carrying. Seemingly adamant that they were up to no good.

"We should be close to Booty Bay by now." she heard the dwarf say out of the blue. Still it did little to divert her attention of what was disturbing her. "What be the problem lass?" she heard him ask her, apparently he knew something was up with her.

Without even a second passed, The feline astride night elf bolted away and jumps through the thick forest, bolting through the thick vegetation. The Dwarf soon followed suite, wandering in confusion to what the elf was doing.

"Aye, Elf, what ye doing?" he shouted out, his horse trying it's best to keep up with the Frostsaber, which was becoming a task even for such a well trained horse as the one the human Captain gave him.

"What the heck!" The dwarf heard the wail as his horse run through the forest. His sights saw that the elf was attacking a small group of slavers that were bringing in elven and human prisoners alike.

Fylrae stood in a crouching position, taking perfect accurate shows with her bow and arrow to cover her frostsaber Kuura's back. Taking aim and shooting the back arm of one slaver who charge in with a sword to attack her companion. With his yell of pain, he accidentally alerted the Frostsaber of his presence who proceeded to pounce and claw at the opposing attacker. When more came for their friend's defense, the Night Elf took aim once more and shot each of their weapons out of their hands, leaving them defenseless against her friend.

"Don't move anything or I'll put one between your eyes." Fylrae said as she set her bow and arrow before looking over to the other slaver who was trying to set something. "Ditto for your friend over there." She said in warning.

The dwarf without second thought knew what he had to do, and scoots over to the prisoners adorned in ragged clothes. With the precision of his pistols he shot the cuffs that chained their wrists.

The Night Elf looked over to the prisoners. She was disgusted to see three females in chains. One could clearly see that it was all elves. One could argue a half-elf that was clearly just a child while her mother was one of them.

Even the dwarf was becoming just as enraged as his night elven friend at the sight of seeing a child slave amongst them, obviously beaten and starved to almost exhaustion. "Which one of ye bastards did this?!" he demanded in a voice full of such rage it scared even the frostsaber a little.

The night elf looked at condition at the half naked slaves. Narrowing her brows to anger before looking back at the bewildered crooks. All three composed of two blood elves and a human. A comforting trio. "Strip…." She demanded.

"What?!" One of them reacted and gets an arrow just right in front of his feet, just a millimeter less and he would have lost a toe.

"I said strip. Strip till only your underwear remains. All of you!" She repeated in anger.

The Dwarf lead them out from the cart. "Oi lass, is she yer flesh and blood?" Thark asked the elf, a high elf, before motioning to the half-elf to let her know what he meant.

She nodded before looking over to a fellow Blood elf. "All of us are related, she's my child." She said mentioning the high elf before motioning at the blood elf. "And she's my sister."

"Aye I see lasses." He looked over to the slavers and pointed to his pistol at them while pulling out a small coin from his pocket. "So lads, what gave ye the balls to do this to them?"

"Business." The human slaver said as he was halfway finished from being forced to strip along with his Orc, Blood Elf, Goblin, and Troll companion.

"Well lads, listen up, you're going to speed up stripping ye clothes off and I'm gonna count to ten. Ye got that long to finish up fst and hand them to these poor lasses. Until you do so I'm going to be useing ye toes to count." Thark flips the coin into the air and fires a shot at it, ricocheting the bullet off it and at the slaver's right foot. Shooting off one of the goblin slaver's toes just as he perfectly catches the coin. "That was one."

The almost naked goblin slaver groaned in pain as he went down on the ground just as he finished stripping. "Alright, alright, here you go." One of the blood elf slaver's said, throwing their clothes over at the cart. "You can have them." He said.

The night elf then assured the recently freed family of elves. "Take their clothes, use them to cover yourselves up, use their horses and carts to send yourselves in nearby neutral gryphon station, they'll let you ride their gryphons there if you needed them." She said before throwing a bag of coins that she stole from the slavers. "Use this for your needs and recovery."

"As for ye sorry lads, I'm going to give you ten second head start to get out of my sight before I unmen you all with some target practice." the dwarf threatened.

"You cannot be…" before the goblin slaver with the missing toe finished Thark was already drawing another pistol.

"Five mississippi, six mississippi." the old dwarf said while loading his guns.

"Fuck…" the slavers yelled and ran off deep into the forests, holding onto their injured friend.

The dwarf flared his nose and looked back to the elves. "Their gone." He said while putting his flintlock pistols back up. "Yer alright there lassies?"

Fylrae withdraw her bow and arrow and tends her attention back to the family of elves. "Are you alright? Any….incident between the slavers?" She asked softly, making sure that whatever the slavers did to the elves at least it would not be a series of them using the elves to slake their lust.

"Yes we are fine. They had beaten and starved us in their attempts to break our hopes and submit to their demands. But none of them were able to touch us, at least not in their sick lustful ways." the mother High Elf spoke softly as she was carefully checking the injuries of her injured child.

"How did they catch you?" Fylrae asked once more.

The Blood Elf answered for her high elf sister. "We were going to Stormwind to see my sister's spouse. I'm a blood elf yes, but I'm a citizen of Dalaran. We were trekking through the safe mountains of the Arathi, but we never realized that there were slaver's there roaming around." She explained.

The Night Elf walked over to the injured half elven child who was held in her mother's arms. The child strongly resembled her mother except she had golden blonde hair with brown eyes instead of blue. While her mother was a highly attractive high elf female with slim elven physique, long straight white hair tied in a ponytail, straight nose, pinkish pale skin, and blue eyes.

"Just get help in the nearby neutral camp. I assure they're not a threat to your safety, their job is to safeguard the area."

The mother High Elf slowly stood up, carrying her child in her arms close to her as she and the rest of their family were getting ready to leave. Tears of gratefulness were pouring heavily down her eyes as she and her family made their way to the neutral ground as they were told, using the same horses and carts that were used to transport them around.

If it was not for the thick beard on his face, the Night Elf could have swore she could easily spot the old Dwarf smiling both proudly and in happiness at helping them.

"Aye ye done good lass. Reminds me of a time I once saved a lass and her babe from an invasion of Orcs back in my day in the military." Thark mentioned with a soft smile, never taking his one good eye off of watching the former elven slaves leave.

"It sickens me to see slavery." Fylrae mentioned.

"Ye ante the only one lass. Now so more then ever with a close one at danger of such cruel fate. Best we get the move on and save her from that life fast." Thark motioned for her and her companion Kuura to follow him as they now started making their way back to Booty Bay.

* * *

Meanwhile…

The two Gladiators slowly made their way to the gate that lead to the arena. The crowd that sat and watched from the safety of their seats cheered and applauded for the amazing upcoming event that would soon take place. Two of the finest gladiators the arena had ever seen in the moment, both from completely different sides and backgrounds, would compete together in a handicap match against several opponents at once.

The Gladiators take their breaths in large. Their eyes encased onto the front of the gate. Till then the sound of familiarity echoed to their ears, looking over to see Zan, and the three girls behind them, separated from the cold clutches of steel.

Zan looked over to see his warriors, he could see there was no sweat, there were no fear in their eyes, just the repeating their thoughts of burying steel to flesh. "They'll put armed slaves as an assistance for you two, they won't help much that's for sure, just a lamb in the slaughter but would help you in a way." He mentioned to them.

"Help would be needed." Larkon said while his Orc counterpart was unmoving, just focused ahead on the small skirmish.

"Just remember, don't think about anything. Just kill, and win the crowd" Zan advised.

"This is my work. I'm required to kill, so I kill." Larkon replied. "And that is enough."

"But do not forget your goals." their master also advice. "You'll need them."

"It will be on my weapon." Urak replied before adding. "A need to bleed is what I need and is needed."

Their master simply noded. "Well, both of you will be getting plenty of those that I promise. So, best of luck…"

One of the guards called at the Blood Elf. "We'll be going to set the release. Go back to your seats up above." They said.

Zan noded slightly, taking one last look at his two prized and most skilled warriors before walking off with his female servants following close by. The three just watched their friends, looking at them without receiving the same. They shouldn't because they would not want to see the state of their eyes, looming over them with a soulless stare, a stare of a different person.

The gate behind them shut. The arena was divided by a cage that separated the entire area in half. Both of the warriors could see who they were up against. It was almost like their first. An Ogre for them to kill, and some trolls, the same trolls native here in the Vale where they cannibalize each other.

The two warriors stared at their foes from the distance. Both deep at thought on what their strategy would be and being careful not to make the sudden moves until the start of the match was allowed. They scanned their environment quickly and quietly, looking for any possible chances they may take advantage of in the situation they were with it just them two vs the Ogre and trolls.

The Orc counterpart smiled with a killer's intent. "Guards, give me a spear." He requested behind the gate.

The guards raised their brows in curiosity. They had seen these two fight before and usually the Orc's weapon of choice was the double bladed axe he carried on the right of of his back. Still even curious to see what he maybe up to, they tossed him a spear for him to catch in the air. Testing it's sharpness by slightly cutting his finger to draw blood, causing his smile to widen at satisfaction of the sharpness of the weapon.

Larkon didn't pay attention to what the Orc was doing. It's every man's life in this subtle situation now. Just sheer will, smarts, and let blood lust take over himself to survive. Nothing else was on his mind other than to survive and be done with this. His lips, curled into the most narrowed frown, his brows moved to the narrowest curls. His teeth grit to its hilt.

"Be ready." The two heard the guards said as the gates shooked, indicating their work to start and see if they survive.


	26. Freedom at the Price of Sleep

They both pass the sultry gates. Both of them were narrowing their brows as they passed down the fisher halls. The dwarf acknowledged the crooked city with great disdain, especially due to it's reputation. He had wondered how both the factions had such great patience to the city where they have more than enough reasons to burn the place down for all its worth and crimes.

They go through the end, watched by the strange eyes from other people of other races. Most of them have the faces that a girl should not encounter on a dark alley. The Night elf was left unhindered by the essence of their hostility because she knew none would be foolish enough to start a mess in this kind of land. She let it all slide and let her eyes travel to the dwarf and then fixing her gaze to a Goblin so she may dare her luck on some information.

"Goblin, I would want to know where I would find the Slaver's bay. I want to buy a specific slave." She started.

The Goblin casually pointed to a direction. "You can find it there, the Horde and the Alliance get along here so you can find some slaves of all races there." He answered. "What type of slave you into wanting to purchase?"

"A Draenei one, female. Has there been one of such seen around lately?" Flyrae answered and asked.

The Goblin wondered, holding up his chin. "Hmmmm. It was rumored that there was a troll, along with a Night Elf selling a draenei female. It caused a huge commotion here in the city, because draenei females are the price here, and the slavers went mad about it for not being able to buy her. So I don't know lady if you could find a draenei female in slaver's bay. And If you wonder about the Troll. His name is Kor, he's a local thief here, you can ask someone about on where he is." He informed.

"I see, thank you for this information that is all that I need." the Night Elf spoke before taking her leave.

"Oh and if you see Kor, tell him he owes me a hundred silver for cheating in our last card game!" the goblin yelled to which Fylrae ignored.

"Slaver's bay the wily creature said. The chances are that she is not there. I am certain now that whoever the draenei was that the troll sold, it would be the priestess beyond the reasonable doubt." The Night elf hypothesized.

As she was making her way to regroup with Thark, she took notice of majority of the people in the city were making their way to the gladiator arena. Though she paid little attention to it at first, she was able to spot a familiar troll at the corner of her eye making his way there.

"Well, we got any good news lass?' she heard the old dwarf ask her who had caught up and regrouped with her.

"I have no doubt now that it is her. But we may not see her in the bay. We need to find a troll named Kor who knows where she lies." She said.

"Aye, and I take you may have spotted the troll at the corner of ye eye just now hu?" he asked already guessing what their next move is.

"Just heading into the gladiator arena, most likely to watch the fight or place some bets." she answered.

* * *

Zan sat on at the front of the crows along with the three. He was given enough respect in his status to sit with the members of some nobles here. He looked over to see entire families of Nobles here in such a place which he finds it odd to let their children see battle. He knows the noble's culture. You cannot make one a king without one seeing blood. At least he was assured that a child's innocence would shield them, just like what he is seeing right now.

"Hey mother, did you place money on the human? I have talked to him! And I assure you with great confidence that he is strong! We know that we have see him in the few fights!" A blood elf girl said.

"Calm now Aquea, I would want to say yes, but I would not lie to you, so no, I have not put my confidence on him. But you and your father seem to have enough confidence on the human." The child's mother said.

Zan smiled at the sight before getting a pat from his fellow elf. "So Zan. I would put that you're confident enough with the two. My wife isn't, but my daughter is." He said.

"In the time I have spent watching the training and victories of both the Human and Orc, it makes me proud to say indeed I put my confidence in them." Zan said before adding a remark. "Quite a wonder you noble's like you, and the others would bring their children to watch."

"My daughter has always been one fascinated to watch these events, ever since I told her the story of Thrall and Varian who were both gladiators at one point in their lives. But no matter how you spin her mind to gore, the mind of a child will always be a child. You will be seeing me buying toys for her later." He chuckled before taking his leave, going about back to his family. "I'll be praying for a good luck on this." He remarked.

Zan noded to him as he sat back at hi seat and watched the fight continue. As he watched he kept a close eye on both warriors and how they fought. Urak the once bodyguard to Thrall himself appeared to not have changed much. However it was the former Stormwind Guard who had changed. Larkon appeared, darker, more brutal, and almost somewhat more savaged. He could see it in his eyes on how it narrowed. The way he curled his lips into a strong frown coming in inside the arena.

"Witness!" Shouted an announcer that put Zan out of his trance and back to the reality. "Arseah, would you please pass me some water." He requested to which the Blood elf slave calmly took the leather pouch and pour it on to a cup.

"We come in here today to see a recreation of a great skirmish that took place thirty years ago!" The announcer started. "The Old horde rampaging in the village after village with Orcs, trolls and Ogres. Now would lead to siege to the powerful Kingdom of Stormwind!" He eagerly shouted before announcing the participants. "I will introduce to you, the Barbarian Horde!" The warriors of the announced shouted just as the crowd shouted in cheers.

The announcer then raised his hands up to signal the crowd to a quiet. "Now, strong warriors to lead to stop them. Warriors that would match the strength of the beasts, thunderous blows that would make the sound of lightning seem meek. Having to save the glorious land of the Elves 3500 years ago from the wake of Genocide. I would gladly introduce to you, the Legionnaires of Humanity!" The entire arena shooked in roars with an eager anticipation. While the Blood Elves remain silent, offended by the announcer who which repeated the History where they were saved by the races that they considered was below them.

Below to the arenas, the two gladiators merely ignored the announcer's words, more anxious to begin and rather annoyed by the hold up. Especially Larkon who had been gripping the handle of his sword more tightly.

Larkon looked at his left, to see his orcish counterpart, before looking to his right to see a slave cower down in prayer, muttering in prayer to the light to save his flesh. "Forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those that sinned against us…" The Stormwind warrior heard from his utters. Smiling while remembering a quote from a certain friend back in the church. 'The light has the mercy and the people has the action.' Alas his faith waned down since his departure, leaving but a black void within his chest that needed to be filled.

"By the Light please! Let me live, my wife, and my son and daughter still needs me!" Urak heard from his right, and just simply curl his fist to a knuckle and knocks it to the human slave. Knocking him out unconscious. Unwittingly saved by the orc from the contact of his fist.

"There, none will kill you now, so embrace your family after." The brutish orc muttered.

"Forget him…" he heard Larkon spoke coldly as the battle soon started.

"Gladly." Urak coldly responded to him uncharacteristically as he picked up the spear from the family man that he had knocked out. He slowly moved forward, his lips curled into a gnarl while he grunted during his short trek. His arms then gathered strength into the seconds as his mouth now hung open in roar. His arms propelled the edged tipped wood into the air, before landing solidly into the most dangerous foe, right between the eyes of the large ogre, toppling down on the sands of the arena.

The crowd cheered. The sight of the brutish monster going down had shocked his comrades, something that gave the human warrior the edge he needed for what he planned to do. Rushing towards the nearest troll, he wasted no time with a fast slash across the troll's belly, spilling his intestines to the ground. When the others had finally realized what happened, their Orc alley motioned for the archers to take the shot.

Larkon did not wait for this to happen. Instead he grabbed the still somewhat alive troll and used him as a shield to block the volley of arrows that had fired at him. With little regard for the gore pouring on him from the lifeless troll shield, he charged in a rage and sliced the next nearest troll close to him in half while using the first dead one as a shield to block the arrows. He threw the troll carcass at the remaining group of trolls lead by one Orc.

His chest heaved, his eyes widened almost to the point where he felt a great need to create more gore. He felt alive as his breath flowed out from him like a fall. The lust to survive gave him ecstasy, the joy to kill and to survive. The iris of his eyes widened for a moment as he moved on to the next target, before shrinking back down and charging in with abandon.

The Orcish ally saw this just as he finished killing his latest victim. The brutes did not feel the competitiveness, he did not feel the thoughts of fear. He did not feel any danger at all of his live as his eyelids closed to cover his eyes before opening it right back up to see a new life, a new attitude within a warrior's soul. He felt alive, he felt the lust of blood just like his human counterpart. The blood ridden warrior within him far back takes him over like an ocean consuming an island and went on to wage death on whoever was needed to die.

His allies the slaves within the arena no longer needed to fear their enemies as two warrior did their work for them. Watching him tear through their flesh with his trusted weapon. Heads were flying, arms were falling, blood were oozing, and death were lingering as two warriors of both factions delivered hell to those who gave hell.

The crowded strangely was mixed, even though majority applauded for such gore and violence that was being shown in front of them. There were noticeably some who were, shocked if not horrified at the sight infront of them. Some of the families who had came and brought their children were the most obvious of the crowds. The sight of both the Human and Orc tearing away viciously through the trolls with little to no help from the slaves in such a savaged manner scared those who were not of experience and seeing such horrors.

This was not the fight they were expecting. They were expecting the fighters showing finesse, tacticality, speed, volume and grace in fighting just like they had watched the other fights. They were not expecting Bloodbath after Bloodbath their faces and their hair was drenched in blood. That the arms of their enemies was sprawled across the arena, and that their heads were rolling, or that showing their enemies so much fear that their allies began to fear them also.

The human was laying the blood bath, the orc was collecting their heads, their blood was like moving water. There was no fight in this arena, this was execution. There was nothing else other than pure barbarism that even the nobles who had interest in such games moved their eyes away from the scene. That a certain young blood elf who once talked to the warriors inside the arena averted her eyes from the warrior she gave her support to.

With most of his enemies all but slain and his bloodlust only getting started. Larkon looked forward of what was in front of him. He needs to kill more in order to survive. This would define his own freedom, his own freedom to get out from this place, and this would be the only challenge left to take that. Seeing the lone Orc warrior and survivor of what was suppose to be a handicap match. With only one last opponent left on the field for him and his team to fight, he made the decision for all of them. Choosing to want to fight this last opponent himself. He needed to make this a win, a win for him to go back home. He doesn't want to fight in the arena, he had trained every hour of the day to do this, to have this moment, the winning moment of freedom for himself so that he could make the promise he did to certain people many months ago. He would go through paranoia or would have to do evil things to do that, and he would certain will, even if it cost him his own personal self, just to achieve his promises.

The Orc warrior though a veteran of many wars and fights, felt a strong powerful chill down his spine. Seeing the way how the human warrior, covered in the blood and gore of his only comrades, slowly walked towards him. Dragging his sword behind him making an earing screeching sound on the ground as he moved. Also leaving a trail of the blood and gore on the ground.

With a growl and readying his weapon, the orc warrior charged towards the mad human that made his way to him. Something that was a mistake he should've known if he wasn't in some way scared of the savagery of this human. For the moment he tried the human rushed towards him and slid underneath him, slashing through the Orc's legs and crotch.

Larkon at least looked displeased, most displeased in deed. It was like despite all the chaos he had made with his blade alone, he wanted more, he wanted to ensure that he was free, he wanted to ensure that nothing else would be required for him to do more so that he could achieve that. He turned towards the now slowly dying orc who fell to his wounded knees and coughed in blood. Still dragging the bloody sword behind him, the human warrior circle around the orc until he was staring right at him in the eyes. The Orc's eyes were that of fear and somewhat sadness, tears were now pouring from heavy battle harden cheeks as he did something no one expected.

"Please...don't do this…I have a family, a wife and son. I fight to return to them...please don't…" the wounded orc begged.

These words caught Larkon's Orc companion off guard, reminding him of what he was fighting for. His eyes that was lusting in the bloodbath of the battle waned. He was reminded on to what he was fighting for, and that to return to whom those who depended on him. He almost let blood lust take him away. He looked back at his human friend to see him staring coldly at the wounded orc's sad eyes. Without so much as even blinking to a response to the wounded orc's words, he slice through the orc's chest with ruthless regard to the orc's words. Cutting deep into the Orc and spewing his blood all over the human's body.

"You're...not human…" the dying orc spoke with blood pouring heavily from his mouth.

Larkon only ignored these words and finished him off with using his sword to slice his head completely off. Almost as a means to shut his mouth and wanting him to die already from his blade. He kneeled down, taking the wooden necklace from his neck, and just toss it to Urak's direction, to which the Orc caught it.

"Maybe you can recognize what clan that belongs to and give it to them." Larkon said so indifferently. Then, it was all over for them. No more needed bloodshed, no more needed limbs to tear off from the body. It was all over with them leaving the trail of blood and flesh. He stood their, locking his eyes on the headless corpse of the orc, the last corpse needed to be dealt with. A final stand on their bridge to have the right to get out of the desolate sanctions of life.

The family slave whom the orc put to sleep had just awoken, only to see a wake of bloodshed to which he immediately went to the corner of the arena in fear. Just like other slaves that cowered before them.

It was all over. The warriors both turned around, heading on to the gates with their heads on the ground, while their fingertips dipped in blood. While their hair bathe on the flowing color of red, while their eyes changed in the course of the day.

To all things said, it was all over.

* * *

Thark and Flyrae had been tracking the troll for several minutes though they cared less of how long it really took them. Their primary and only concern was to find Alura which that Troll, Kor had to know.

"I'll split up and see if I can find any traces of him by sight. See if you can talk to the people for any information." the huntress spoke, already going ahead of her plan and moving into the now leaving crowded to see and search for the troll.

"Aye lass." Thark groaned but agreed with the plan either way. He had been.

They both could notice the relatively crowded area of the outside of the arena. In which it indicates a recent fight had taken place. The Elf stood proudly among the crowds with her keen eyes watching for the troll. A careful stature watching other people leave the arena, some with a satisfied grin on their faces knowing they had rightly put their money to the right man, most with a big frown on their faces knowing they had lost, and others who just walked out with a noble stature with a horrified look on their faces.

"WOW MASSACRE! BEAST! MONSTER!" he heard the crowd still sitting in the arena cheer or cream in mixed emotions. Some were in excitement while most were in horror.

This only distracted him for a brief moment as he walked up to one the non nobles and began asking for the troll named Kor.

A goblin with a big frown made the dwarf gain some questions. "Oi green lad, do yer know a troll named Kor?" He asked.

"How the hell should I know where that cheating troll is at. Right now I don't have the time to be looking for him since the Fel Warrior just caused me to lose fifty gold and more.." he complained before rudely shoving the dwarf away to go pay whatever debt he was now in.

The dwarf let the goblin slip away and was trekking back to see his fellow companion.

She eyed the area, looking at the faces of everyone. The children of Elven nobles were present, so where their parents and their bodyguards to protect them. Their eyes were seemingly horrified to the recent events. Even more so that the children who admired fighting weren't so satisfied with the outcome.

"Mother, I'm glad that the Fel Warrior had perhaps won his freedom...but I wasn't expecting that…...I think I'm not going to watch other gladiator fights for a while." She heard a young elven girl said, while she was escorted by both of her parents and their bodyguards.

For a brief moment she decided to look towards to see what everyone was talking about, leading on to the gates before seeing the previously unseen fuss, and now…..the sight horrified even her. In the arena was several if not much more bodies of dead trolls, a lifeless ogre, and a beheaded corpse of an Orc. Blood and parts of them were everywhere as the smell of gore stenched the air thick enough to cloud even her great senses. Amidst all of this, two blood covered warriors, a human, and a orc, stood side by side as a Blood Elf noble unchained their binds and set them free.

"Find anything lass?" she heard her companion call to her, snapping her back into reality.

"No, only...just what the crowed had been watching…" she answered sounding somewhat scared from the aftermath of the horror even she could not predict.

The Dwarf narrowed at the barbarism. "Aye, I felt sympathy fer those who servived. They be printin this moment on inside their heads fer all their lives." He said, narrowing his eyes even more at the warriors at the arena.

He noticed the other warriors, particularly the slaves no longer needed to be chained because they had no worth for others, and just be sent free. He then closes his attention in at the other warriors standing in the middle of the arena, now unbind from their chains while a servant of a slaver was carrying water, and splashes it on the warriors, at least cleansing the blood from their hairs. Just as he was about to leave, he felt a pang of familiarity on the human gladiator, stopping him on his tracks, though he could not see the man's face, because the gladiator had his back on him.

"What's the matter? We must take leave and ask the others." Fylrae motioned the dwarf on.

Thark shook his head in disturbance, trying to brush off what his stomach was trying to say. His instincts were telling him now to meet the gladiators below, but he pushed it down. "Aye we go lass." Thark said, now following suite behind the elf.

* * *

Finally, after so long of fighting to stay alive, killing to keep his promise to his friends, his sacrifices and hard earned fighting had finally earned him what he had been fighting for, his freedom.

Zan approached the two gladiators, once his two most prized and powerful warriors, and unshackled their chains. FInally freeing them of their long and devoted servitude to him. Now with his money earned back plus more, it was the perfect win for their freedom under his servitude. He saw them win, and saw them win BIG. They gave him glory, and now they gave him fortune now that his risk on betting the last of his fortune turned out to be right and plus the reward because his men won. It was time to payback that payment.

Larkon narrowed his eyes over to the women, they looked, bothered almost nervous or scared. Not because of Zan their master, more because of what they had saw him do. He didn't blame them though, he did what he had to do to earn his freedom and now with it won, he could finally return home and fulfill his promise.

"So, now that your freedom has been earned and your goal to go home achieved, what will you do there?" his former master asked, finishing unchaining his Orc companion.

A long, almost quiet sigh escaped his lips into the form of his answer. "Fulfil a promise…"

"I see…" The blood elf answered, his eyes narrowed as he began leaving. He stopped his tracks as he waited for his girls to say their last goodbyes to their friends.

However, there were no good bye's being made, only an endless stare, some of fear, some of shame, the others were averting their gazes as if they're scared. Both of the gladiator's soft breaths indicated that they wanted them not to change their views on them. That they only did what was necessary, that the fear of not being able to survive gripped their souls like the devil to a sinner and for the result it turned them like beasts in the arena. They wanted to remind them that it's still them, but they knew that the were different now. The Blood stains that remained on their chests, arms and legs being evidenced along with their blood soaked weapons.

A few seconds of silence was the answer for both of the gladiators. They looked at the ground, and let their feet move away. The look of utter shame from glory. There was no glory, it was all business for them, a kill for a life, that was the deal and they made it. It costs them a portion of their selves. The Urak that talked and laughed perhaps had change, and the Larkon who keeps on giving advice had left.

"Urak…..Larkon." They heard Rachel mutter. "Please, talk to us. Both of you, please tell me that it is still both of you."

They both turned at the ladies. The wiser of the two was the first to answer. "You know the answer." Urak said softly. "I'm not going to lie, this moment in my life will haunt me on for the rest of my days. I can only accept that this happened, but I can never forget, and never deny that it was not me on this arena. It was a blood ridden demon killing mercilessly for survival. You know we had to do that."

The three didn't listen to his words and they immediately smothered them in a deep and loving embrace. "We know, but…..just…..I can't say goodbye right at the next moment where you both probably needed us, not like this." Arseah cried, not bothered by the fact that the blood stains on the human gladiator's armor was on her skin.

"I may not be such of a friend to you both, but I was close enough. Please, don't leave us yet Larkon, Urak….you both need us right now, we are here to comfort you both, be it physically or mentally, and emotionally, we are here for you both as friends that were chained together." The night elf said.

"Thank you all…..but, we had to go. I still need to fulfill a promise." Larkon said as he was the first to break. "But I'm not going to forget both of you anytime soon. Zan is a good master, in the near future he will give your freedom, for all of you. Perhaps even I can meet you in the future, Rachel, Seleara-" He wasn't able to part the blood elf.

Arseah smiled. "Don't worry about me Larkon. These two are my family now, they're my sisters. We had agreed that we will be sticking together from now on. It's just, I need to lie to people of me saying I'm a high elf instead of a blood elf from time to time now, because whenever they go, I follow." She assured that it made the human warrior sigh in relief for her.

Saleara bellowed in. "We had made this decision. I'll be staying close to them from now on from my life. I can do herbs somewhere else with them, and for Arseah…...she won't be feeling any loneliness from now own because we three, Rachel, Me, and Arseah will be sticking together as sisters, not in blood, but in chains and spirit." The night elf said to them, making the two other girls hug her.

Urak smiled, and chimed in. "I'll guess our journey is the same, we all get back home in time, and you three had found your home. I don't know about how your brother will react to elves living under the house Rachel." He said before making an adult man's joke. "Well I guess he will like it because he is human and how the two elves had reacted for….human male before….." He chuckled to which others laughed with him. "Though I'm happy for all of you, but we still need to depart to where we should be. We still have unfinished business, promises to fulfill." He said before giving a nod to them. "This day may have changed us…..but, at least this day did not kill us. We have fulfilled our promise to you three, to get out alive in the arena."

"But most of all we thank you three for keeping us sane during all these trials we have had to face. Now thanks to you girls, we can go home and fulfill our promises." Larkon spoke for the last time, before he and his orc friend had to let them go. He walked away, feeling a great pang of sadness inside his chest, trying to suppress the demanding prisoners of tears inside the lids of his eyes.

"Hey Larkon!" Arseah rushed in and just kissed his cheeks. Before running right back to them. "I hope you will be alright." She said.

The two smiled to their close friends and sisters in chains one last moment before turning the other direction and taking their leave to finally go and fulfil their long awaited promises. "I'll look forward….."

"An Oh." Larkon stopped his tracks and takes out a compass from his pocket and gave it to Arseah. "It's a gift from me to you Arseah." He smiled.

Arseah closed in her lips on his cheeks. "Thanks Larkon….for everything, for showing me what is it like to be loved truly…" She uttered, before letting him go.

The human warrior said his goodbyes one last time before finally turning his head forward, devoid from the image of the ones who had been with him for seven months. He walked forward along with his orc counterpart.

"You made me richer than I thought you both." A comment from the Blood Elf slaver escaped. The two turned with narrowed brows. But got the receiving end when Zan throws a bag of gold for them each, each containing a hundred pieces of gold. "It's a good luck gift for you two. I know you will never forgive me for putting you guys here inside this arena. But It's something I could repay back." He said.

The Orc smiled on his way."Take care of the girls. Give them their due freedom." Urak said to him before letting his smile wane down back to a frown.

"I'll be protecting them. They already got their freedom my friend. Now they just remained here with me for the time being so that I can teach them how to manage business. Their good girls." Zan said before turning around. "I'll give you luck on your part now. You'll both be needing it." Zan told them before walking in the opposite direction to fetch the three women.

* * *

"Alright mon, another pint of ale please." Kor called out to the bartender, sitting comfortably laid back on a booth chair. He gulped down another set of ale, enjoying the new wealth he had acquired from the business of the Blood Elf.

As he waited for his next order of drink to come, he could not help but wish that he could've had a chance with the beautiful and incredible well gifted and sexy Draenei Priestess. She had the biggest and plumpest pair of tits and ass he had ever seen from any woman. With thick yet well slim thighs complete with those hips ment to carry someone's child.

His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed an old Dwarf with an eyepatch taking a seat in front of him.

"Well mon, what can I do for you old one eye…" the troll joked at seeing his only good eye.

"Aye I be in need of ye services." the old dwarf asked.

"I see, what services what that be?" Kor asked the dwarf.

"Information. About a Draenei slave, a female one who came by here. I was told ye be knowin a thing or two about her." he asked.

The rouge raised an eyebrow slightly. What could this old fart of a dwarf with one eye want with that Priestess. "Well mon not sure if ya…"

"Listen lad." the dwarf interrupted before pulling his pistol out and aiming it at him. "I'm givin ye a chance to save ye ass…" he threatened with a serious tone.

The troll hold up his hands. "Alright mon, I sold some draenei, ah did it because I ain't wantin do die if I refuse." he said.

"Who did you sell her to?!" Thark demanded, slamming a fist on the table that almost got everyone looking towards them.

"Some Blood Elf Warlock mon, he be payin me a frickin fortune to track her all over Azeroth and Draenor, hell I be jumping through flaming hoops in Stomrwind to find her mon." Kor confessed.

"Yer telling me some Blood Elf hired ye to take kidnap Alura and sell her to slavery to him?" the old dwarf shouted losing his final patience with this rogue fast.

Kor shooked his head. "Noh mon, it ain't slavery fer ass. Dem ones who hired me was gonna do it fo some weird voodoo boodoo tricks on her. They be collecting some stuff and be tellin me they gonna need it for her." Kor explained.

Thark looked at him with suspicious anger with his one good eye. Clocking his pistol, he leaned back on his seat. "A blood elf warlock. Tell me about this warlock lad, and why he find Alura so special?"

"Dunno mon, you be killin meh ain't gunna halp ya. I can only tell mon that where he is and where the draenei is." Kor said.

The Dwarf motioned for him to stand up. "Alright lad, let's make things straight. I don't trust ye, not one damn bit. So anything ye tell me now I won't believe. So this is what yer going to do. Yer going to lead me to where they took Alura or I will proceed to gut ye alive where ye stand!" Thark demanded.

"Youw mon I tell ya the Blood-Phaaaa!" The Troll went down when the Dwarf pulled the trigger on the troll's leg. "FOK! FOK! FOK! MON!"

"Lad today is a bad day to piss me the fuck off!" he yelled at the troll and then pulled his rifle and aimed it between the troll's legs.

"MON! I TELL YA IT BE THE BLOOD ELF KEEPING DA DRAENEI! NORT WES ON THE FOREST MON, A CAVE SURROUNDED WITH DEM VOODOO GUYS." The troll groaned and shouted.

"What voodoo guys?!" Thark demanded clocking his rifle.

"TWILIGHT VOODOO GUYS MON, they be all be workin for a scary Death Knight mon who would make even da Lich King Piss his pants if he still be alive."

Fylrae finally chimed in, finally appearing from the shadows. "He's speaking the truth." Fylrae told.

The dwarf angrily looked at the elf. "How do ye know?"

"For the spirits' sake mon I value ma life mor den loyalty to dat foking Death Knight!" Kor yelled in a panic.

"I can hear his heartbeat. When people lie I always notice a change in their hearts beating formation. His is staying the same though beating faster in fear for his life." she answered the dwarf.

The Dwarf withdraws his weapon. "Aye yer lucky the elf is here you twat. Er else you be eating yer own nose while you sleep in yer grave." He said before letting the Elf take place. "North. This bum says. I be trustin the what ye said is true elf or this troll will be nawing his nuts in his death bed."

"Well if ya'll be done with me I best be on my way to fix the shot wound yo inflicted on me." Kor spoke, grabbing his large bag of coins and making his way out, limping though with each step.

* * *

The two had journey for sometime out of the city of booty bay and onto the crossroads. Strange the human thought, how ironic it was, that he was trained to defend Stormwind from the Horde should an attempt invasion was to come. Now for several months he stood and fought side by side with one such member of the faction.

"Falila…" the Orc suddenly spoke that caught the attention of the human walking beside him. "That was the name of my mate. Our son was named Sourk, in honor of my long deceased father…"

Larkon was somewhat surprised, Urak had told him months ago he did not want to talk about his original deceased family much. Now that his Orc friend and brother in arms in the arena was now sharing their names, tells him he now must see him as a brother in a way.

"What happened to them?" he asked in a respectful way.

"Hmmm, it was really back then. Back when Thrall tried to unite the clans. It didn't do it so with peace. There was confrontation, after confrontation in that time." He told before painfully telling. "Well one day, Black Rock decided that they would never join and it ended with them coming at night with a raiding party. I guess you can say that I was too slow, and my son fought even in his young age, just when he was just about to become a warrior. He fought bravely trying to protect his mother because his father was not there. I ran but I wasn't able to make it." The orcish warrior said softly. "I may have delivered justice right after. But it doesn't change anything now on what happened to them human." Urak admitted.

The human was sad to hear these words of history from his friend here. He was no father or husband so he could not imagine what it must've been like to loose his family just like that. He was unsure of what words he could speak as the look of the Orc's eyes as they watered with small tears was evident that it was a witness of hell to him.

"I was…...in the trenches. Wasn't able to remember how I got through it, but I got through it, and by the spirits I got through it hard." He said strongly while he clenched his fists. "Two young taurens, just ten seasons old, though looked strong, was wondering in tears looking for their mother and father which who died just recently in an attack by the scourge." He said then sighing softly before giving a soft smile to the memory where he founded them. "Ohh I remember their faces. The young foals were looking it. The youngest one was looking like to be a strong shaman, and the older one was also a shaman, but had the spirit of a rebellious warrior. I remembered it like as if it was the day before yesterday. They really lifted the spirit from the trenches." He said.

Larkon listened carefully right down to every letter for every word he spoke for every sentence. He had remembered that if his friend had failed and fallen in the arena he was asked to find a Tauren shaman by the name of Serga if he recalled. She's must've been the youngest one he talked about.

"I raised both of them to be strong members of the Horde in the path of the Shaman, sometimes tutored by the mighty Thrall himself who would always comment such talent and devotion they both had that always made me proud to raise them as my own. Now as young adults they now walk their own paths. But with this war, their fates concern me and I seek to find them both." he continued. "I need to get home now. And fulfill some promise." Urak said. "Now I think this will be the crossroad where you go in that direction and I go in this." He said, pointing at his end.

Larkon had nodded, looking towards the opposite direction his now close friend was pointing. "Thank you for sharing that with me. If we meet again, I promise to share with you my story of how came to be born as an unknown and eventually come to know you as a friend and brother in arms." Larkon made his first steps just as the orc made his. However he stopped when he heard the human toss his bag of coins to him and stopped himself. "Alura." He mentioned to Urak.

"What was that?"

"Her name was…..Alura. The one who I made promise to." The human gladiator revealed. "Take the coins also, I don't want blood money." He said.

The Orc smiled at how he heard the human say her name. He knew deep down this human was close to this Alura, the Draenei he spoke of. Time would only tell where this could lead but from his experiences, he foresaw a very strong possibility. Guessing that the human did not desire the money, he calmly took the bag himself and spoke. "I'll wait for a child to come out Human." He said before walking away, never letting him clarify.

Larkon looked towards the Orc and watched him leave until he was out of sight. Urak's words reminded him of a similar if not same request his captain had asked of him. He just bellowed a small chuckle due to how it reminded of him of his captain once. Nothing else can be proven that's for sure. Because he won't be able to relax now, no, not when the next few days will haunt him over for the rest of his life. Though he may release a laugh or two now, but once they start haunting him, he won't be able to laugh anymore. Because that was the price of survival. For him, and for his companion.

He wanted to say a last good bye to the orc, but was too late. Perhaps it's the best he wasn't able to.

He turned around to continue the crossroad, turning his attention back to the road ahead till a familiar face stopped him right on his tracks.

"Lad?" The dwarf asked.


	27. Meet your Match

"Thark…?" Larkon asked in deep surprise. He never thought he would ever see the old veteran dwarf, especially at a place like this. His brow narrowed down to the point at tearing as he watch the dwarf in disbelief. It had been how many months since he last seen the dwarf, and he doubts that the reason for him to be here is looking for him. Nevertheless, his face contorted back from disbelief to a low profiled frown while he kept his head low. "What are you doing here?" He asked softly, tilting his head down.

"By the Light lad where've you been all this time? And what happened to ye, what ye doing so close to a place like Booty Bay?" Thark asked the human in just as much as disbelief as he was of him. He looked over to the young lad, and it looked like he had go through something that is more than the physical realm would do. The dwarf could see the change in his eyes, while the new battle hardened scars on his face, while looking physically bigger than the last time saw him, noticing the bulging of his biceps.

"I'm just….going home." Larkon replied. "How is everybody?" He asked again from out of the blue, like as if it was just a casual encounter between him and the dwarf.

"Lad, ever since ye disappeared months ago, Alura has risked everything to find ye, she even went as far to come up with her own party of adventures and get me out of retirement to come searching for ye. And fer the past few months we been looking all over fer ye in the camps." Thark said.

Larkon smiled, he didn't even let the thought of it get him and was just amused at them finding a supposed dead man. "Good, good. Was surprised." The human commented uncharacteristically, which the dwarf found it hard to hear from the man.

"Lad? What happened to ye? Didn't ya hear me lad? We been riskin our skin's fer ye and that captain of yers. They ain't gonna be home fer ye to think cause Alura ain't be comin home until." He revealed to which the human immediately reacted to negatively.

"Alura? Where is she?" He didn't even bother asking questions regarding to her state.

"Aye lad she be kidnapped weeks ago. By some damn troll rogue who sold her to some flippin Blood Elf Warlock for Light knows what. We don't know what became of her but her life is on the line lad because the Warlock plans to use her for some ritual or something." Thark warned.

"I didn't asked you what. I asked where." He corrected the dwarf to which the dwarf was surprised by the new found change in his tone. He didn't need to react to hit because he probably had encountered something that others won't survive. Thark had been there and done that, and now the human warrior had been there and had done that also.

"She's been taken to a secret cave hide out just far north of here. Guarded by members of the Twilight Hammer working for the warlock for some reason." the night elf huntress answered for the human.

Larkon noticed the night elf. Motioned onto which way she would go. "It'll be a long journey of three days so we best make haste." she continued as she jumped onto the saddle of her Frostsaber mount and prepared to move out.

Larkon gestured. "Go on, I'll follow behind, make your way to where she was hidden." he said.

"Well since we only got two mounts and we didn't expect to run into ye. Ye best hop on and join one of us since we be in a hurry lad." Thark informed, saddling up on his horse getting ready to move out.

"I'll walk on my own feet. Just go and let me follow." Larkon said to them and starts to walk towards their direction.

The two hunters looked at each other briefly before heading off on their mounts while the human warrior followed short behind. Every now and then, Flyrae would look behind her shoulder at the human who was deep at thought.

"That is the one she was looking for?" she asked the dwarf quietly.

"Aye lass. He be the one we be searching for…" Thark said reluctantly, like as if he doesn't want to admit that he was now different. Or how he was now like him. 'Affected' by the war.

The Elf looked back at the warrior who had his head down. "He looks like a dangerous man. I was surprised that he didn't show much emotions when we informed him about her plight." She said to Thark.

"Aye lass, I'm just as much surprised as ye are…" she heard him spoke in a low reluctantly.

* * *

Three days later...

The draenei watched through bars, governed by the dim light. Her eyes squinted in adjustment trying to look at the figure. The beating of her heart bothered her as everything else around her also begin to bother her. A cold chill running down her spine, a room full of fear, not for herself, but for someone else's, like as if she is not the only innocent here inside the small and crude area. The figures of a robed cultist came about to which her eye caught. She narrowed her brow in dreadful anger, watching the cultist curl his lips to a smile. She wanted to give a strong message against them, but it seemed that it was the cultist who gave her the message as the angered eyes she once harbored softened when he made a request.

"Get the boy. Make her watch." The cultist said.

The eyes of the Priestess widened in wonder and slight concern. Boy? Who could it be? Does she know him?

Soon, her friend appeared in chains. His eye was shut in blood. His lips were cut, torn even. His cheeks were bruised, and his jaw was broken.

She did not wait for her begging for mercy to hesitate, not for her but on his behalf. Her hands immediately went through the bars, trying to reach him with teary eyes. Her cries echoed through their ears, and it only warranted them some satisfaction. Watching her begging, watching her face trying to poke through the bars in order to reach out for her friend.

One of the cultist sat down at the side of Larkon's face. "So what would it be draenei? Where should we begin cutting his skin with a knife. You would be pointing for us in where, because if you don't…...tsk tsk. We would be stabbing his back and stomach. So your choice draenei." The cultist said in a teasing stone, showing of his rusted knife in front of her.

"Please no, I beg you, I'll do anything. Please….just tell me." The priestess begged as her tears began to flood her eyes. She didn't once break the trance of her eyes looking at the human in chains.

"Hnnggggggn." A knife was shot through his stomach. He can only groan and moan, unable to make a proper scream due to his broken jaw. He immediately spat blood through his broken jaw. His arms tried to put pressure on his new found wound but was unable to as the chains kept him at bay.

Alura thrashed, trying to get closer to him, so close yet so far. Her hands were shaking, her lips were trembling. Her hope was breaking as she looked at him with guilt ridden eyes. All she could do was beg, throwing all sense of pride inside herself to help, to at least appease them on easing the torture.

"Please…..please." She begged, shaking her head as her eyes met the cultist. "Please….I beg you, please. I'll do anything you would ask me too, please." She repeated.

The cultist smiled. "Now, I'll ask you again draenei. Which area should I be cutting his skin?" He asked once again in a teasing manner. Trying to bring her down beneath, trying to destroy her hope through the predicament of torturing the man infront of her.

She shook her head. "Please. Not-"

"Hnnggggngh." Larkon screamed again through his broken jaw.

The cultist put a hand on his wounds and began channeling his magic to close the open wounds. "Ohh shhhh, shhhh. You're not going to die. Shhh, there there." The cultist muttered.

Alura closed her hands in front of her, looking like as if she was praying. It was not. All of it was to beg for his life. She kneeled, and put her closed hands in front of her nose and begged with all her might, staining her hands with her tears. "Please….I'll do anything. Anything you would ask, if it is to sacrifice my powers, my blood, anything, please. Don't hurt him." Alura said to the cultist, watching Larkon on the ground, his eyes were still alive, dying as he slumped their flat on the side of his face with a pool of blood.

* * *

Alura had laid there in the bed of her cell, just now bolting up from the she lost count how many time. She checked the little tally marks she had drawn close by to find that it had been three weeks since she was first caught and trapped for some reason. She looked out of her cell through the bars. As always the blood elf sat close by writing and taking notes, and as always the demon hunter night elf stood emotionlessly close to keep guard.

She could not understand what they were doing and what on earth they needed her for. When she was first captured she had thought that she would end up being one of those sex slaves to be used as a plaything for some sick individual's twisted pleasures. Yet ever since she's got here they so much as not even touched her.

As for moments thought drifted to the deeper blues, her mind caught the brief memory of her friends talking together. It was not that long ago that she was at her happiest, when all friends come about each day, talking on about how it had go, and how it might get even better. All of it shattered the moment war has called out the land and forced friends to fight for them. Jorden, the friends in the barracks, and especially Larkon. She realized it now that they're not coming home, and that they too will now only become a memory at the end of her thoughts. It made her heart shatter like glass as the reality come about, and even with her effort and her delusion of small hope that they could come home, all of it lead to this. Now a prisoner of a deluded and unknown man.

She let the tears take her as her hands laid at her side, while her body was firm as her rear rested on the soft cushion. The tears that once shed to the reason of her friends not coming home, now shed once more to the reason that everything else is going to be a memory in the future, and she could do nothing to stop it.

"Daken, get her out here for a moment please, I need to see another test." the Warlock requested while keeping his eyes on his notes.

The Night Elf turned around towards the Priestess and opened the cell bars to allow her to exit. She sighed heavily to herself and wiped her sad tears away. Standing up, she slowly made her way over to the Blood Elf to see what he wanted this time.

"You know I just realized we've been here for three days now and I don't even know your name." Kreus asked, stopping what he was doing and turning his attention to the Draenei that stood next to him.

She stood there with a silent stare, unwilling to answer his question. Deep inside however, there was a gut feeling that she should not insult his request. "Alura….." She answered.

"Alura, interesting, a name that sounds familiar, one from a famous parentage perhaps?" he asked with a smirk.

Alura nodded, but in the end her outburst of tears resonated once again. As she covered her face with both of her hands.

The blood elf stood up and reached out one of her hands. "You need not to fear Priestess Alura, there is nothing in here that will endanger your life." He said as he holds her hand for him to kiss. "Unless you make an unwarranted decision that could potentially harm yourself." He told her.

"Just what do you want from me?' she begged sadly. Tired and sick of just waiting to find out what purpose this warlock had in store for her.

"All in good time my dear, all in good time. But at the moment, I am in need to, ask a few questions. So first we know your name to be Alura which does sound familiar somehow. So who is your family by chance, is your father famous by chance?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Well see? We're making progress on having a lighter relationship. There's no need to be afraid of me." He told her.

"He's Vindicator Joven…" she answered.

He smiled. "Well, a sincere answer has finally escaped your lips. It's a plus." He told her before referencing some people. "Heroes against the Lich King ey? The Warrior of the South, The Paladin of the Exile and many more to sinuate that fact." He told her. "And how about you priestess. Is there a hero in your life?" He asked.

She nodded once more. "My friends are my heroes."

"Your friends hu? Perhaps we may have something in common after all, despite are vast differences. So who are these friends of yours if I may now ask?" Kreus asked, laying back at his table with his hands crossed.

"A Dwarf….A Worgen, a Gnome, a Panda, a Tauren, and a human….." She told reluctantly.

The Blood Elf picked up his book of notes and started writing the new information down. "Are they perhaps famous heroes such as your father?"

"No, not in the same level as him…" she answered.

"Who is your mother?" he asked next.

She remained silent. "She's just a normal draenei. Nothing of notable trait or achievements." She answered.

Kreus only chuckled at the response. "Oh you make such a poor liar for someone of your holy status, it's quite shocking really. If I recall, Vindicator Joven was still married to Anchorite Averia I believe. Who's quite famous in her own right from what I heard. Is she your mother perhaps?" he got straight to the point.

She nodded once more. "Where are we going with this?...Please, I'm scared." She begged him.

He was about to answer until his two succubi returned from their long trip to report their master's findings.

"Yes?" he asked.

"We have delivered the blood sample to Dr. Jiink and he is most pleased and impressed, so is Lord Lazarus. Our new orders are to bring the Priestess to him at once." they answered.

Just as the draenei wondered, a small but yet hopeful information has arrived in the form of an injured cultist. "Elf! We have an intruder in our territory!" He shouted from nowhere.

The Warlock sighed and closed his notebook of notes, nodding to the demon hunter to take the Draenei back to her cell and guard her with his life.

* * *

The sounds of the last scream ended, the gladiator stood before the unknown crowd who garnered in cheers of his mighty win. His curled into a deep but eerie smile under the lingering void where death was in the atmosphere. The lust to slit the blood from the flesh of the living was circling inside his mind. His eyes looking for more to whoever was alive for him to kill.

"Larkon-" A soft voice wanes before finally hearing the last breath of life.

The room was dim, unable to see beyond. He could not clearly see the corpse that was in front of him, but he was adamant that the corpse before him was a girl. He did not care whether or not it was a man or a woman. All he need was to slake the blood lust inside of him.

Tik.

The warrior narrowed his brows. He was in a full stop. For some other reason there was no desire inside of him. Like as if he was done, like the fire inside to kill disappeared before him like a breath of wind. The sound of air rings on his ears like the roars of thunders. Strong, soft, quiet and malevolent.

He had the sudden urge to want to leave the dim room. Tik tik tik. It ticks again. The warrior's eyes widened in fear. He looked down on the blood splattered floor. There was blood, but the corpse…..was gone.

Tik Tik Tik.

Dread came to him. His breaths were heavy. He was unable to move as something surrounded him. He couldn't turn his head to his side fearing a malignant figure would appear before his eyes and scar him for all his life and in death. Tik. It ticked again, this time a vibration could be felt. Tik. The warrior closed his eyes as he could feel the metal clad footsteps coming closer towards his direction.

He wanted to run. But he can't. He wanted to look up, and he did….

His breaths labored as his lungs put an effort to preserve the air inside his body. His brain registered the deep fear the host was taking as the eyes of the host widened beyond the physical limitations. The malignant figure appeared to his eyes right before him, he wanted to scream. He wanted to run, he wanted to pray, he wanted to plead, and he wanted to die. Just to save himself from this cursed place. The image burned to his eyes as the face appeared before him. Blonde hair, blood shotted green eyes that were staring deeply at his hazel, broken nose that were bent to the left, a sliced open cheeks with blood flowing down on her face.

He screamed and he falls down flat on his rear.

An unknown cushioned his fall as his elbows landed on it. He doesn't know what it was but he also does not want to know as the room illuminated itself. He doesn't want to live now that he saw the full image of the bloodied corpse. A once fairing blood elf that had once bed him was now chained in the air, her arms and legs were chained in each while her body hung down. Her neck was twisted to an inhuman degree while that face…...stared at the warrior with…..a smile.

"Larkon-" He turned to his left…..he screamed again. A night elf woman…..bloodied face, twisted neck, blood shot eyes. No arms, and a twisted leg….walking towards him.

He pleaded to whatever deity that was merciful enough to bring him out of this hell.

"Larkon-" He turned to his right. He couldn't scream anymore because his own soul screamed for him. Human girl, a knife on her mouth. No nose, and no…..eyes…...crawling towards him.

"Larrrk-on-" A human man uttered eerily before falling down from the darkness and lands in front of the terrified warrior with a rope around his neck. No left eye, no cheek, with no flesh on the nape of his neck.

The warrior falls down on the floor, crying, screaming for death.

Tik. Tik. Tik. Tik. Tik. Tik. The metal clad footsteps rang.

The warrior looked up to the horrifying figure. No lips, glowing frozen blue eyes, frozen rotten flesh with razor sharp fangs for teeth.

"I will make you suffer." spoke the words of the walking corpse of the nightmarish death knight. The one who forever haunts his nightmares with the massacre of his friends and captain.

Readying a frozen runeblade he struck down in a flash of light, bringing terrifying agony he could not bear to stand.

* * *

The warrior woke up. His heart heavy, his body drenched in sweat underneath the armor he still wore from the gladiator arenas. His hands shaking beyond his control, along with his mind haunting and scaring him mentally of the nightmare that came before in his sleep. He groaned as he struggled to stand up.

"Bad dreams lad?' he heard Thark spoke.

Turning in direction he saw the old Dwarf just packing up and getting ready to move out. "Yes…..yes..just some bad dreams." He said before looking over to direction of the night elf were he saw she was kicking some sand onto the camp fire to put it out. He regain his composure and finally stood up to his full height. "Where….where to? I need to save her." he said to her.

"There's a camp over that hill. I did some scouting last night and it seems pretty heavily guarded with Twilight Hammer Cultists. What they're doing here and why they want the Priestess is beyond me." she answered.

Larkon quickly stood up with his sword. "Lead the way. We got to save her fast." He said moving forward, waiting for the Night Elf to take the lead.

The huntress watch the fighter walk past her and turns back to the dwarf. "Did the man change in your perception dwarf? I have never met him." She asked.

"Aye lass, ever been in war or killed? And I don't me just kill anyone I mean have ye ever looked them in the eyes and ended his life while watching the varied looks of horror in his face while he screamed in a mixture of pain and agony lass?" he answered not really looking towards her as he kept his mind focus on getting his rifles and guns loaded. "I mean, the lad was easy going, and and when we be getting back the lassy, she be goin to be sad like girl losing her pup when she be seeing him once again." The dwarf remarked, following the warrior.

She said no words in response. In many ways she could relate, since there was a high chance that the Illidari who had taken the Priestess was her older twin. She remembered a time when he had taught her everything she had known and more. Now, what he could be was something she didn't even recognized. She had hoped and prayed to Elune that whatever was left of what this human was, that it was not completely gone.

She motioned to Larkon to where the direction was and he immediately heed it and walks to where she had pointed. The two climbed up to their mounts and followed suite behind him in a distance. The huntress watched the human warrior all tensed up as he walks down the forest path. She watched him with sadness, seeing another put up.

She approached the dwarf, urging Kuura to move closer to him. "I guess his captain is confirmed dead right now. What do you think will happen to him in the future if we go to Stormwind?" She asked the dwarf.

"Aye lass I don't know, but from the look of him, it make me wish almost to not take him to Stormwind. With that son of a bitch General Moira still in command. And he be the reason for his witness of hell. Aye there's no telling what may happen except only the worse." he answered.

The huntress acknowledged the human warrior now as she looked at her front. Same thing happened to one who she held dear. The call of duty comes but would never be the same again. She could say that he was lucky that he was still able to go back home, but would probably never had a smiling thought of home ever again. "I pity him. This happens far too often. Another falls victim, but he held so that he would fulfil a promise. I commend his efforts of promise but I pity him." She commented.

"So lass, we be heading in there with ye older brother being in there, I still remember the story ye told me but I thought ye mention he died a while back. Why he be a Illadari demon hunter now?" Thark asked, changing the subject on another manner.

She shook her head uttering a little small smile under half mask, which it was a reply to his surprisingly casual tone. "Your so casual dwarf, can't you see an elf has feelings at these kinds of subjects?" She joked before answering his question. "But to tell you the truth I do not know. I have accepted what his faith were, but if it is truly him then I have the right to see him once again." She told him.

The rest of the walk was silent, no one saying a word about the situation they were about to enter. Upon reaching the top of the hill they took cover in the forest. Thark using the scope of his rifle to count the many Twilight Cultist around the large camp further below.

"A whole lot of them here…" Thark commented. He quietly squeaked out a gasp of surprise when he saw his fellow human compatriot suddenly jumping down and sliding on down to the hill, using the bushes around him as a stealth. "Oi lad what are ya doing?!" He called out but was not met with an answer as the human runs off along, forcing them to move themselves.

"We follow, but we should not be with him, let's split up, we stay together and he heads out." Suggested the Night elf. "I can see that he is not stupid enough to get himself killed when it is a friend's life is on the line." She said.

"Aye but the lad is gonna cost us the element of surprise!" bakred the dwarf as he moved to another location with Fylrae staying close to the bushes.

In the meantime, Larkon had made his way down to the camp, keeping close to his stealth in the forest woods. Leaning in he listened to a conversation they were having.

"Damn shame if you ask me. I mean I wouldn't sacrifice her even if she was a pure blood Holy Priest. I mean she's got a body of the most rarest and exotic dancer that would put your wildest imaginations and fantasies of women to shame." a Orc cultist spoke.

"Yeah but there is no way I'm pissing that blood elf off. Out of all the warlocks I've seen in my day, that one is powerful, I mean scary powerful. And to think he's but a pile of rocks compared to that Death Knight...I swear it's almost like we're witnessing a being more terrifying than the Lich King when we're in the room with him." a blood elf cultist spoke.

"Aye enough about dem two, best we get ready to bring the lass over to where ever that zombie knight of death be hiding and not have his wrath stabbing us in the arse." a Dwarf cultist interrupted.

The human warrior gritted his teeth with sheer ridden anger hearing the perverse comments about Alura. He narrowed his brows, he readied his sword, clenching the base tightly while it is on its sheathe while stuffing his anger upon hearing the degrading words towards a person he holds dearly to him.

"Aaaah imagine if she's my slave I would not wait one second for her bare my children. I mean, can you imagine that kind of body in your bed?" a human cultist commented, and it proved to snap the stealthy warrior.

A sword comes flying down, landing through the crotch the cultist in a brutal manner to castrate the human. 

"You tell me that again and I'll end you." Larkon revealed himself to them, standing tall against the group.

Charing in a rage, Larkon retrieved his sword from the suffering human cultist before finishing him off with a slice to the neck, quickly cutting the head off with no struggle and spewing blood everywhere. He holds the head while he stood before them, standing strong despite the number disadvantage.

One of the cultist gasp and retaliated with a fireball towards the gladiator. In response the human simply throws the head towards it, exploding at the middle, covering the ground in smoke. Larkon run towards the smoke and strikes him down. Stabbing his sword through the blood elf cultist deep into the gut. With his sword still in the bleeding blood elf cultist, Larkon let's go and began viciously beating the cultists face with bone shattering punches that were reinforced with his metal gauntlets. Finally grabbing the broken cultist's head and smashing his face into the metal knee guard of his greaves before grabbing the hilt of his sword and ripping it out of the cultist's stomach to kill him.

His sword flies off again, hitting an another unfortunate victim on the face, killing the individual instantly as he fell down on the ground.

The remaining cultist were in a flight and flees from the gladiator, leaving dead bodies behind to inform other people who are capable of handling such a person.

In the meantime, a few cultist stood watch at the entrance of the cave. One goblin cultist was bored asleep while a Gnome one was busy reading through some kind of book.

"How much longer do we have to stay here?" groaned a Orc cultist.

"Hell if I know mon, until dat blood elf be satisfied with finding dem artifacts around dis area." a Troll cultist sighed.

"Will you two shut up, you're giving me a headache just reminding me how we have no idea what's going through the mind of that Warlock." the gnome complained.

Unknown to them, Thark had made his way up in a sniping position in a tree. Taiking aim with the scope of his rifle, he at first watched the Night Elf Huntress make her way into a closer sniping position hidden among the leaves and grass of the dense forest she used for her stealth.

"What the hell was…" the orc said said when he heard a small explosion and a scream from a near distance.

The two immediately hypothesized that it was the human who fought out in his own way. "Damn it, the human already started action. Thark, we can't let the cultist run towards his direction, he would be overwhelmed, we must intervene." She whispered from her location.

The dwarf looked at the surroundings of the Cultist. He spotted something that marked his target and fired a shot. Sending a bullet towards a metal shield lying behind a cultist to ricochet through the back of the head. Coming out of the forehead of the cultist in a split second as he falls dead to the ground.

"Shit there are guns shooting at us!" the Orc cultist alerted. "We need to alert…" The orc was not able to finish as a vicious looking Striped Frostsaber wearing razor sharp bladed armor leaped from the bushes and pounced on top of the Orc. Tearing his throat to shreds with her sharp jaws.

"Ah shit it be a saber mon!" yelled the troll cultist. "Oi mon woorn da night elfeh mon!" The troll said as he used a form of magic to bridge up rocks from the ground to protect himself in the rocky shield from fire.

The Night elf strikes them down with her accurate arrows while dodging their retaliations wearily. She was not used to magics against hers, but she was used to dodging projectiles. The troll who had summoned the rocks was met with another shot in the head from the Dwarf. Causing the magic to dispel and allow the cave an opening for them to proceed to. Flyrae noticed a good number of cultists making their way over to where Larkon was fighting his way through them. She whistled for her mount to attack the cultists out numbering the human to give him some aide.

Kuura did what she was ordered to do and scattered them along, forcing the cultist to run around in panic. A fireball to her face surprised the feline, but was lucky enough that her armored forehead tanked the blunt of the damage, but another hitting her thigh forced her to flee in the bush.

"Kuura run for a bit! We can handle this! You did good enough!" Fylrae shouted at her with assurance.

From the look of the Striped Frostsaber, she hesitated leaving her master and close dear friend to these cultists. Her face was okay but her thigh was in pain and she knew she would be no good to her master in this shape. So with great reluctance, she retreated off into the bushes, easily hiding into the dense forest to mask her appearance from them.

When the cultist gave chase after her frostsaber, the night elf drew and fired more arrows at them to alert them of her presence and drive their attention away from her injured friend.

Then all stopped.

The cultist retreated back in relief. Leaving the two in wonder.

A figure appeared in the cave, a man, he was tall, adorned with purple demonic scaley skin, hands holding on to two glaives while yellowish green glowing tattoos surrounded his body, a sign of him enduring the worst of the worse.

She stood there with an arrow to her bow directed at the demon hunter. Her eyes were brought to tears when she saw him, while having a strong sense of anger directed at him. "If that's you brother you better answer me!" She demanded.

The Demon Hunter looked right into her eyes from the distance he was away. He spoke not a word, silent as a statue while burning yellowish green fire glowed as a form of eyes through the dark blind cloth that covered them. He said nothing, only standing there with the stare of death directed towards her as if he had no memory of her. Unfazed by what was suppose to be a familiar appearance to him, or so she thought. Instead the only sounds she could hear from this Illidari with the look of her older twin was the sounds of a distorted growl.

The huntress realized there was nothing there, nothing but a husk. A husk used by a shadowy figure in the form of her flesh and blood, standing before her. Nothing but with hostility, growling, unrecognizable by any means of emotional or mental aspects. The huntress could feel the pain inside her chest course through her entire body as her heart beat for the hopeful return of her own brother, but it was not to be. Nothing else but a hopeful wish, and in the end there was heartbreak now that she had find out.

She closed her teary eyes and released the arrow.

The Gladiator tore through the cultists that came to stop the rampaging intruder. Cutting through every last one of them in a blind rage as he was becoming drunk with adrenaline once more. That same feeling he felt back in the arena when he fought against impossible odds. Yet despite wanting to find the draenei close to him, in the back of his mind, he wanted a challenge. Something worth his skill something to both sharpen his skills and sate his ever growing bloodlust. Then, the cultist stopped their assault and stepped far away from the human as they can.

A Blood Elf draped in a robed appearance with painted runes on his left eye, stood out, watching the carnage before his sights. "What have we here?" He asked with no concern, his lips curling to a smile as if he was happy to see the carnage. "Holding out? Easy pickings I would say." He said as he used his hands to twirl some sort of magic, and it resulted the surrounding bodies were burned till they were ashes through the fires of the fel.

"Alright this would be quick." He said confidently as he raised his hand and channeled a large fireball towards the warrior before him.

The fireball unexpectedly exploded in the middle, unable to hit the gladiator. The blood elf watched through the smoke as he gripped his chin in wonder. "Hmmmm…..how?" He ask in wonder to what happened to the fireball. Then all of a sudden a rock came flying through the smoke, almost hitting the warlock in the face, but through the quick reflexes enhanced by dark magic did Kreus dodge it without difficulty.

The smoke cleared, seeing the gladiator with a rock in his gauntleted hand. The Blood elf smiled at the clever man, using simple means to disrupt his magic. He raised his hand once more, channeling a symbol beneath the ground, wanting to see an easy challenge for the human before him. He looked so equal for him, though he could see that he was slightly taller than him, but the man was clearly the bigger man. The symbol glowed as five imps rose from the ground, and charged at the gladiator.

All died with a swift swing, with no needed effort from the human.

The Blood Elf continued to watch the silent man and decided to end this. He raised his hand again and fired a multitude of flames from the tips of his fingers, and was surprised again when he saw human crouched down using a shield from one of the burned bodies of a cultist. Placing it in front of him, like as if he was unimpressed with the blood elf.

The human stood back up and with a steel sword in his right with hardened steel. He looked at the blood elf with narrowed brows with his eyes completely dead set at the blood elf. "Where is the draenei?" He asked softly while still holding the burned shield.

The Blood Elf Warlock smiled at the man. He could see that he wasn't a small fry that would be easily dispatched. He could see it through his magical eyes, the black aura surrounding the warrior. He may not be of any magical aspect, but he knew that the arrow would say that he shouldn't be taken likely.

The Blood Elf smiled so eagerly. He marvelled at the opportunity to face an equal of himself. Like the human, he wanted to see the challenge. With a snap of his fingers, he magically summoned a sleek demonic looking staff. The entire shaft of the staff were covered in spaces of lines where fire were burning inside it, while both tips of its end had diamond-shaped red crystals that had flames radiate from them.

Kreus waited for a reply from the warrior, and he gets it.

He quickly moved when a burnt shield was coming towards him, but was almost hit when the human charged with his shoulder after melting the shield with his fel fire. He quickly moved away and forced the human crashed down to a tree, shaking the elder oak. The human simply shrugs it off, as if there were no damage.

The Blood Elf watched from the safe distance as he stood there with his hands ready, now covered in magic. The Blood Elf readied his staff as the human faced him at the opposite side.

The gladiator clutched the sword with his hand while the other was clenched into a fist. His hands covered in steel was ready. So eager to take the Blood Elf's life for the draenei.

"You're the human that the draenei mentioned." The Blood Elf told. "I guess it is interesting how the priestess will cry when she will hear the message that you died trying to save her." He mocked, furthering the anger of the gladiator even more.

Both of them clenched their hands in to fists, ready to battle. The human clenched his hands covered in steel as he watch the blood elf with clear anger while the blood elf faces the human with a complete mocking smile while his hands clenched to a fist where magic resides. They stood facing each other with a killer's intent.

The Hands of Steel against the Hands of Magic.


	28. The Hands of Steel vs The Hands of Magic

Larkon watched the veteran as he taught them. Watching every fling and flung as he looked to proceed to do the move on what he calls 'Magebane' a very nice name to hear in the ears, but was doubting if the move is as good as the name. While he conveys his thoughts and opinions, Jorden all else was teaching, telling them what to do and how to do it.

"Alright I'll start. Magebane is not your conventional defense mechanism or your conventional offense mechanism. This is entirely on my experiences on how to counter mages. Do it right, you kill the man, do it wrong, you're dead in the wind, and the latter has more chances by a 9 to a 1 so leave now to all who has rational reasoning to see through the nonsense I am saying, and stay to those who are stupid on trying to experiment life threatening situations like fighting a mage to death." He said to them, and with that all but one left the barracks, and Jorden smiled at the one who remained.

He looked at Larkon. He had been with the boy for seven years, now reaching 20 years old. He could clearly see the evolution from the frail young boy he saved seven years ago to the youthful young man he see to day. He stood taller than him, and he is somewhat proud of that fact. "Alright Larkon, I guess you'll be knowing what it is." He said.

"Well, I'm here, and it's going to be useful if I fought someone with magics on their side." Larkon told him.

Jorden went to the side of the barracks and goes back with a wheelbarrow filled with balls of embers. "Alright, now you're wondering why I have burnt balls of embers? So the answer is, Magebane is specifically for the moves that have fire in them. Fireballs I can say specifically and this move is used when mages are five feet or less in front of you." He said to him.

Larkon almost lost his interest. "I could see why you have said that this move is stupid because clearly this would be something nonsensical if the only thing you have to use this move is to use it when a mage is in front of you using fireballs." Larkon voiced.

The older soldier smiled. "Oh yes this is indeed stupid but has saved my life countless times." he said as he approached the dummy, while using a leather glove on his metal clad hand to carry a ball of flaming ember and puts in on to a small catapult like contraption.

"Magebane is not because you kill a mage. It's because you kill the ember inside the fireball." Jorden said as he winds up the crank of the small catapult. "I've studied a fireball maintains magic inside its core, and if you hit it, it dissipates." He said as he stood up five feet in front of the dummy while gesturing Larkon to release the crank.

"Do it." Jorden ordered and the warrior did.

The ember flies towards the man and explodes right in front of him. Larkon didn't knew what happened but all he could see is an unharmed captain with a smoke surrounding him. His shoulder was in front of him in a defensive position, his right hand was covering the side of his face while his left was straight holding the sword in front of him, on top of where the head of the dummy formerly lies, and now it's on the ground.

Jorden then stands right back up. "This move is for a counter attack. This is where a mage should have dealt the killing blow, but is instead you who got the killing blow." He said. "The trick is to roll your shoulder the moment it hits you. Your sword MUST hit the core of the ember for it to dissipate while all a while flying towards the neck of your enemy."

"But sir, what if the mage is using fel magic?" the young warrior asked his master.

Jorden gripped his chin. "Well warrior you spoke the words right of my mouth." He said. "Against warlocks, you should hope that he is not using a fireball. You would hope he would be using those rocks covered with green fire to kill you in order to hit you."

"So this trick isn't that effective against fel fire?" He asked curiously.

"I didn't say that." Jorden said. "Fel fireballs are different. They can't be destroyed by hitting the core, but they can be dispersed if you separate the core, and then they will disperse. And doing that, your sword must touch the core, and then separate the core from the fire itself by moving it down or up. Doing that is something I hadn't thought." Jorden told him.

"Have you ever fought any Warlocks or Mages who used Fel Magic sir?"

"Not much, demons I did, but warlocks, had some encounters, but nothing of noted that could really help you."

Larkon stood still, looking back at the training dummy some and what remained of it. "So...when can I start?"

* * *

Memories of events of how to deal with magic users seemed to flash through his mind in seconds, even though it felt hours to him. All the while he stared down the blood elf warlock who stood patiently, waiting for one of them to make the next move.

The human slugged on, shaking off the rubble that covered him. He looked at the warlock with off setting eyes, looking like as if he was a mindless creature with death leaning stare. The Gladiator watched as the warlock was looking at him right back with a grin escaping at the edge of his lips. He cracked his neck as he draws his sword.

"I'll be waiting on your next move." The Blood elf told him with a smile, taunting the brazen warrior. "I'm assuming you're the one of the subjects that the draenei mentioned of." He said which it triggered a response from the human.

Larkon twitched and then stood there frozen, all a while as his magma of anger flows towards the blood elf. "What did you do to her?" He asked coldly, his voice was icy as he stood there, sizing up the elven warlock.

The Elf smiled, he knew that the human had been close with the draenei, and he was curious what the human had for the draenei, and through that his words of deceit would be released in order to know. He was the best at it. "Hmmm I don't know human." He said, smiling at the human gladiator with taunts through his grins and smiles. "But did you know….?" He said softly, while responding to a reckless charge from the human gladiator. He narrowly dodged it as the human cuts a small tree behind him in half.

The human gladiator turned around, now the warlock was safe from the distance, safe from the range of his grasp where death would be imminent if he was in range. Larkon frowned to gritted teeth, his animosity ever growing towards the elf. "What did you to do Alura?" Larkon asked once more. He spoke her name once again, it had been long since the last time her name was on his lips.

Kreus finally found an opening for a small…...but painful lie. Kreus danced his hands around as he used the fires of his magic to create a life sized image of the draenei…...naked, covering herself with small effort. Kreus approached the image, watching the human who now sported with widened eyes. "Aaah human…..did you know the moment I touched her skin, it was like as if the moon had let me touch her….she was bare, just like I-" Kreus narrowly dodged a sword that spun around, travelling against the wind, landing on the trunk of the tree, while destroying the beautiful created image of the priestess.

"Lies…" Larkon growled under his breath and ran towards the warlock with reckless abandon. His metal clad fist landed on the low branches of the tree, snapping it from the trunk. He took his sword and faced the warlock again. "Lies….." He repeated. He was clouded in anger at this point, and was clouded…...in envy.

"Ahh, so you're that close to the Draenei. Were you hoping to take her virginity and have her bare your offspring perhaps? Or did you just simply wanted to get into the undergarments of a priestess with vows to try live to? I have to admit, you missed out on something very special my human friend." Kreus grinned as he charged another fire ball of fel.

The human didn't respond as he walked over towards the warlock, just as the warlock released the flame. The Gladiator relied in sheer instinct and muscle memory to dodge his fires. His eyes were practically driven to point of insanity due to his own anger. He wanted to destroy the figure in front of him, he want to make him beg for his life while he rips out his head from his shoulders. He wanted to destroy him for touching her.

Eventually the walks began small steps, and small steps become a slow run, and then his slow run became a full fledge charge. He looks at the blood elf, seeing the distance between him and the warlock. He wanted him to run to his right so that he could catch him there. His clouded anger awakened his predatory instincts.

The blood elf ran to his right, and the human sees him and ran in advance. He sprinted and caught the blood elf by the arm. He tried to pull the blood elf on him but the latter retaliated by emanating soft flames of fire on the skins of his arm. The warrior felt the burn through the gauntlets of his hands, and decided to throw him against the tree.

The Blood elf felt his strength and was propelled towards a small tree. His eyes glowed as the tree suddenly becomes in flames, Becoming the ashes beneath the ground the moment the warlock hits where the small tree once stood. The warlock finally lands on the soft grass of the soft ground, and stands up with barely nothing on him.

Kreus sneered and fired his own attack, he had enough of toying the gladiator before him as his fist become flames, gripping his staff and charging on him. "I've had enough of this!" He shouted as he edged on, using whatever power he has to propel himself on the air and slamming the staff on the gladiator. He smashed the ground beneath him, creating a small crater, but the gladiator was not to be found.

The Elven warlock widened his eyes when he felt the wind beneath the skin of his ears as the gladiator's sword came swinging onto the nape of his neck. To his luck and to his skills, the warlock managed to make a fel rock formation from the ground, covering him to a life sized fel rock cone, shielding him from the sword's impact, the formation was brittle against blunt objects, but was effective against bladed weapons.

Larkon growled in anger and clenched his fists tightly, and through his instincts and seemingly inhuman strength he began pounding down the docile rock formation, trying to smash his way through with his fist, seemingly unaffected by the straining pain that came on his fists.

First cracks emerged, then a small hole, then a large one, and for that the Warlock abandoned the formation, using his powers to break through to the other side, and ran the distance from the gladiator. "I see that I angered you human. But you gain nothing." Kreus said to him as he summoned a small portal till a group of imps came from it and began to ran towards the gladiator.

The first died by the sword, the second stomped by a boot, the third died when its head exploded against the metal clad fist, the fourth was sliced in half and the last was flung to the air after it was picked up from the ground and thrown on to the air and be plunged to his death.

"Damn this human, he is more than a mere annoyance. I can't shake him off to summon my stronger pets for assistance." The Warlock said to himself before hypothesizing. "I'll have to fight him my own, if that's my answer for now then so be it." His eyes glowed as he raised his arm towards the warrior. It was in flames as it fired a series of fel fireballs, causing the warrior to run around in defence for himself. "Die already you mongrel!" Kreus shouted.

The warlock didn't see the rock coming onto his head.

Kreus was stunned, as the rock crashed on his forehead. The warrior immediately ran up on the warlock and hurled a fist on his face. The Blood elf began to find some of his senses but was cut early when hands began to grip tightly on his neck. Kreus faced the human, his face of anger mere inches from his own as the warrior tried to choke the life from the elven warlock. The warlock however began to take heat on his own anger as he was not man who takes defeat quite well. The eyes of the elf began to glow a radiant green as fist also connected on the face of the human warrior, followed by two more till the warlock wiggled out from the stronger man's grip.

Kreus picked up his staff and began fighting the warrior close range, using his experience to hold his own against the human quite well. They exchanged blows for a few moments but Kreus was the wiser of the two when the moment he felt the human trying to grab hold of him again. He knew better than to let the man almost strangle the life from him. The warlock spunned around with green fires surrounding him, forcing the warrior to back off slightly and allow the warlock to distance himself once again.

"You have a nerve to come and try to save a pitiful draenei here human. What's your purpose? Friend? Lover? Or a wannabe hero to save the damsel in distress." Kreus asked.

The warrior stared coldly at him. "You have no basis to say what I'm doing here." Larkon replied. Picking up his sword and stretching up his neck for a few cracks. "I'm here for her."

"And what then? You go home and live happily ever after? Ahaha you make me smile." The warlock mocked.

"Happily ever after or not."

"You'll never be able to acquire the draenei human. Who in the world would want a brutish gladiator like you? Especially to a maiden beauty like her. I've seen you fight in the pits, and I would be sure any woman with dignity would not want you." Kreus said to Larkon, and it hit him.

The human stood silent for a moment, not sure how to respond. Though it was not his intentions to go that far with Alura, the Warlock had some small point in a strange way. He was right, he was a monster, a killer who showed no mercy and only enjoyed the thrill of kill or be kill. Brutally murdering anything that dared cross paths or was unlucky enough to be his foe. The Warlock's words hit him hard at where it hurt him the most. It had distracted him long enough to not notice the Warlock had taken the opportunity to summon one of his most powerful demons. A succubus of all things.

"Insayah now!" Kreus commanded at the succubus.

The She demon smiled and closed her eyes. Rows of dark magical shadows come about from the tip of her fingers and embedded itself in the head of the warrior. Immobilizing him through the seductive magics of the succubus.

The warrior was left with widened eyes as he stared into the nothingness. His face did not heed any emotions as the succubus immobilized the elusive warrior. He can only blink from time to time, in effort to free himself from the clutches of the demon. It left a satisfying taste for the warlock, after a series of trying to take the warrior down he had finally did so, just at the moment when he thought he was going to be overwhelmed. The human was new for him to battle, through the blood elf fought bigger warriors than he was and had slew them effortlessly. This human on the other hand forced him to fight tooth to nail. His skills are crafted, but his emotions are clouding him. Somewhat sheerness of his anger caught the blood elf off guard when he made the lie about the Draenei and himself.

Kreus decided to approach him, watching the unmoving warrior blink rapidly in an effort to free himself from the magically aided seduction that impaired him from his mobility. The Blood elf was walking around, observing Larkon with a mocking smile. "Worthy effort for a warrior to save a maiden." Kreus started before mocking him again. "But like I said human, what do you have for a woman with a caliber like her? Do you have no shame? Even if you kill me right now and then, and save her, what of her? When people ask, why you? Or when people talk behind her back because of you. People like you impair progress, and people like you should be on the streets. And I'm not saying this because you think I have a thing for the draenei….no. I'm saying this because mongrels like you shouldn't even have the right to look at her." The Blood elf said.

Those words filled with powerful venom struck the final nerve, the one the Warlock was unaware of being the ones he needed to avoid at all cost. Soon Larkon saw only red as he gripped his sword in deep anger, fury burned in his veins as his blood boiled with rage that not even Kreus' sex demon could control. Already the Succubus was losing control and it was scaring her.

"My master, he is resisting my powers! I cannot hold him any…" was all the words she said before she felt a cold sharp piece of the enraged Gladiator's sword stabbed through her stomach.

The emerald eyes of the Warlock opened wide in surprise, no mortal human has ever resisted the magic of his succubus minions. The look of the warrior was of the image of pure rage and blood thirst. Almost the way he was breathing now almost sounded inhuman as he watched his Succubus disappear back to the Twisting Nether to recover from such a vicious strike. He needed to act quickly because apparently his words have went too far. Quickly he used his dark powers of Fel to summon one of his most powerful demons, a Doomguard perhaps. However the Gladiator's rampage, forced him to let go of the summon.

"You do not know her!" The human shouted as he was charging in through.

The Blood Elf created another brittled fel rock formation to cover himself up. He didn't expect to see the human smash through as the warrior rolled his shoulder to protect his head and have his shoulder get the brunt of the damage.

"Impossible." Kreus muttered as he used whatever magic he had to spin around, surrounding himself in emerald green fel fires. It forced the gladiator to give ground for the elf to run, but was able to chase him close enough once again.

The human picks up his sword on the way in. The Blood elf Warlock was smiling as he prepared. Kreus summoned up the flames in his hand and began to grow green as a rock, covered by the fel was summoned in front of the direction of the warrior.

* * *

"Now you're asking. In order to disperse fel flames you have to move the core of the magic out, but then how can I do that if the core is inside the rock?" Jorden said.

"That's what I have in mind." Larkon confirmed his thoughts to the captain as he watches the veteran warrior looking at embers.

Jorden approached the embers and picks them up without the leather gloves to protect his metal clad hands. "Soldier…" he said as he drove his hands on the ball of ember, and clutch one with his hand, feeling the metal began to heat up to an unbearable degree to which the skin burns. "You better have the manpower to take the pain on feeling those green flames on your hand and you sure need to have the strength to stop those fist sized flaming rocks with the use of your bare hands only." Jorden said to him as his eyes twitched in pain trying to make an example out of it.

"This is what you have to do Larkon. When the flaming rock is in mid air, make sure you get a grip on that rock flying towards you and throw them back to the maker." Jorden said as he throws the burning ember to the dummy, burning it. He watched it burn for a minute before turning back to his student. He takes off the heated metal from his hands and saw the damages. The skin of his hand was burned, some of it were burnt black, but the rest were a fleshy read while it swelled. "It's going to be hot to hold those rocks because that's the only way you can help yourself to stop those warlocks killing you."

"But what if I just dodge them and counter?"

"Well that is the most logical emphasis, but then Warlocks expect you to do that. They won't expect you to do what I just did. And if you do that, they'll know when, and then they get out of your range and fight you long range." Jorden advised.

* * *

The memories of his lessons under his mentor years ago flashed through his mind in an instant. Knowing well what to do and being prepared and trained for this moment, he took action. In a split second as the Warlock shot the fel rock towards him, time was seemingly slowing down in his perspective. Charging towards the Warlock as the fel rock was heading towards him, he spun around the fel rock, grabbing it with his left hand while dodging its blast, and throwing it right back at the Blood Elf when he finished turning the three sixty turn.

The unnatural flames burned his hand through the metal sheets of his gauntlet. He grit his teeth in pain as he used all of his strength. He could lose his hand, but if it meant helping the draenei that he held dear, then so be it. After all, there was nothing left to live for him but fulfilling a promise that he had made not so long ago. He closed his eyes just as he was about to release the rock. He knew he would die if he missed, the blood elf would have his way on him with his injury, but this is the only thing that would help him and help her. He would do it.

"You die…" He said before letting go. Throwing the flaming rock right back towards the sender.

Kreus did not expect this, he had though at such a close range he would take the human by surprise, instead the human turned the tables around and took him surprise. At such a close range he could not prepare to block or dodge his own attack being thrown right back at him. The gladiator was able to make fast pitch throw and hit him right in the chest, breaking his ribs and sending him flying through, destroying a small tree on the way before landing on the trunk of a large tree.

The Blood elf didn't comprehend to what has happened. He laid there, blood dripping from his lips he tried to stand up. He didn't die, thanks to his own immunity to the fires of the fel. The damage has been done, his ribs are cracked, his organs are bruised, and by the nethers his luck that his heart was still able to survive. He watched the gladiator, taking knee as the fires of the fel torched his hand, all the way up to his wrist. Then he watched him stand up again, limping down slowly, taking each steps towards him.

Kreus panicked and tried to stand up himself. He spat blood once more as the gladiator approached him, holding a sword with his healthy right hand while letting his injured left hand hung down at his side, letting the fel consume it slowly, bit by bit. Kreus began to draw a pattern on his side. The weak tips of the strength of his fingers was at least strong enough to dig through the soft ground.

The gladiator tried to quicken his pace as he realized what the warlock was doing. If he can't reach to the warlock now then he won't reach him at all. Whoever they are will be coming back for her if he let him get away. He needed to plunge the sword into his heart so that they will never comeback again.

Step by step, second by second the two raced. The gladiator, limping towards the warlock, while the warlock drawing an unknown pattern for unknown reasons.

Larkon was finally in reach, he raised his sword before plunging it down on him.

The warlock muttered before his body became ethereal. Letting the sword punch through nothing. "He will come for her…." his dark bloodied voiced echoed through the ethereal as he vanished away from the reach of Larkon.

As he watched the blood elf fade away in a green aura, all the rage that had burned throughout his body had disappeared. Now, only replaced with the cold chill of fear, now they would be back, but what scared him the most, was the mention of, 'He will come for her.' What did this Blood Elf mean by, 'He will come for her?,' and just who is he, his master, his lord, what were the meaning of his threat and why?

He shook his head and turned. He is going to see her once more.

* * *

She had watched in sadness as she released her hold of her arrow drew back with her bow and fire towards one of the last family she had. However, what had caught her and the Dwarf by surprise was his ability to dodge the shot from the arrow with enhanced speed while using his warglaives to slash the arrow in half.

Letting out a small growl that sounded more demon than mortal, Daken slowly looked towards the dwarf and night elf, his fel burning eyes glowing even more through the blind cloth tied around them.

The Demon hunter jumped and attacked, trying to close in on them, but the dwarf had the experience and had faced the opposition to handle such actions. He opened fire, able to slide the bullet on the skin of the elven demon hunter, letting it bleed. He followed with an another shot, but was blocked by the demon hunter, using the sturdy glaives to shield himself out.

"Thark, do not kill my brother! Injure him if you will but do not kill him!" Fylrae cried out as she followed an arrow, targeting his feet instead of his body.

"Damnit Lass, is he even ye brother anymore?" Thark yelled as he fired another shot behind the Demon Hunter, ricocheting the bullet to bounce behind his target. Daken however was too skilled even for a veteran experienced sharpshooter, as he spun behind him and sliced the bullet in two. Causing the two halfs of what was once a single bullet to miss him and fly towards both Hunters.

"Ah blast them eyes, I can't keep on firin non fatal shots with them demon eyes of his! He can see everything on me lass with dem eyes of his, so ye better have some fergiveness in ya because I be shootin them eyes of his so that he won't be seeing where me bullets are comin from." Thark said as he began shooting in an unprecedented angle to which the demon hunter began to have some sort of difficulty on dodging the dwarf's bullets.

"Kuura…" Fylrae whistled loudly to come to her aide.

The Striped Frostsaber lept from the bushes and rushed towards her ordered target. The Demon Hunter saw this, doing a twirling back flip while throwing one of his demon hunter glaives to the bladed armored saber. Kuura moved away from the glaive, it only scratching her fury cheek and enrageing her as he increased her speed.

Daken retrieved his warglaive as it ricocheted back to him. Just in time as Kuura leapt towards him with the intentions to pounce him.

The demon hunter smiled underneath his face mask as he tried to deliver the blow, but he did not expect the bullet hitting him right through his wrist, forcing him to let go of the blade, and jump off from range of the feline. Distracting him long enough to not notice an arrow piercing through his other hand and forcing him to drop his other blade. He looked towards the source of where the arrow came from, seeing the other Night Elf, readying another arrow. When he felt a large slash to his ankle he was unable to prepare for the Frost Saber pouncing on him once more, this time successfully.

"Kuura let go of him he had enough!" Fylrae

Daken's eyes burned with rage and pain, not having much else choice he unleashed his inner demon. In a flash of burning fel his body changed, extedinging four demonic spikes from his back as his demonic scales grew thicker.

"Aye, I got to face me an another demon." Thark said as he load up his gun and shoot. Seemingly the demonic scales of the demon hunter was strong enough to withstand the blows of the bullets. "Aye them demon scales. I be facin them in the third war now I be facin them once again." He said as sheathe back his pistol and plow through his other sheathe to take out his sawn off double barreled shotgun. "Aye me bullets be by coins fer luck. Literally." He said as run off behind the tree to load up his guns with coins, while Fylrae rains arrows on the feet of the demon hunter, while the feline tries to distract the night elf turned demon.

The now transformed Demon Hunter picked the bladed armored striped frostsaber with one hand and easily tossed her aside like she was nothing but a rag doll. The blades on the felines armor did nothing to pierce or cut through Daken's thick scales. Luckily she was able to land on her four feet but was soon found herself having to retreat from such a vicious monster when it started rushing towards her.

The Demon hunter chased her to the trees before meeting a dwarf head on.

"Test yer luck with these." The dwarf sneered before firing off the shot gun. The loud thunder booms as the coins fly off, hitting off through the sparks. Despite the sturdiness of the demonic scales, the repeated fire of the coins penetrated through, causing the scales to degrade and be shot off by the dwarf.

The night elf turned demon goes down to the ground, slowly turning back to his form. His chest was bleeding, though non-fatal, it was enough to keep him from battle.

Thark loads up his shotgun again and aimed for his face.

"You are not doing that." A feminine voice told him, drawing his arrow on to his direction.

The dwarf turned to her but he did not withdraw his gun from the face of the demon hunter. "Be reasonable lass, this lad ain't yer brother no matter how ye saw him. Ye see it yerself." He warned her.

"We will be taking him back home in Stormwind and have him cured, along with the draenei." The huntress demanded.

"Lass there is no cure for Illidari. Have ye forgotten what Illidan does to these poor lads and lasses. Once they accept his training they ain't no goin back for dem. And this poor lad has done lost his damn mind. He doesn't even remember ye being his flesh in blood. If he did then he wouldn't be trying to kill us. Either his demon side has taken over or he just doesn't remember ye. Either way he be too dangerous to take back to Stormwind. Best put the lad out of his misery." Thark tried readied his shotgun.

"Do that and you will-" Fylrae was cut off when the demon hunter suddenly grabbed the gun despite being injured and aimed it at the huntress, almost hitting her directly, but was lucky enough to only receive a minor injury on her shoulder.

Daken suddenly rolled off and used whatever strength he has to kick the dwarf off and jump off out of the feline's range.

Fylrae aimed her bow at him. "Daken! Brother! Don't do it!" She warned him, but he heeds not of her warning as he runs off. She could only tear up a little as she watched her brother go. After being so close, so close to him, realizing that he was alive. He was there immobilized, beaten so that she could take him home, and help him. Emotions clouded her mind so much that she didn't even have the thought of trying to put an arrow on his feet to impair him physically that he may not escape her grasps once again. It's her fault.

The Dwarf recovered from the powerful kick to his stomach and stood himself back to his feet. He watched his companion's older twin brother disappear. He picked his shotgun up and loaded it back away.

"Lass, I have no right to say I understand what ye are going through. But whoever ye brother was, is gone, he died either the day you believed him to be dead or the day he allowed Illidan to turn him into a demon." Thark spoke quietly, never taking his eyes off of the direction of where Daken had rushed off to.

"I'm going to bring him back. He's my brother and I won't be abandoning him."

"Lass if ye want to chase after him and get yerself killed or forced to kill him in self defense that's ye business. I came here for Alura so ye can chase after ye older twin after we've saved her from whoever these bastards were and wanted her for." Thark spoke seriously, turning his back to make his way into the cave.

* * *

Thunderous loud bangs, tattered screaming, imprudent wailing. She wanted to cover her ears. She could not handle, or could not even comprehend on the thought on what has happened there. Sounds like as if small trees were destroyed, and sounds like as if a roar to the end of one's life. She only wanted to go home as fear draped her because of the unknown outside. No one was with her, no one was guarding her, but escape is not in her mind. She wanted curl up. Afraid to do anything on anything. There was no reason for her to be afraid of the unknown, but to her experience, she is.

Covering up her head by the cloths of her clothes. While squeezing her arms together in order to appear as small as possible. She's already a small draenei, being considered short for her race, perhaps she is also short on bravery and nothing else, easily distraught at everything else when the going gets tough.

Her eyes opened wide with fear, the sounds of metal footsteps were growing closer and closer to her. Was this the lord that the Warlock served, the one that he had intentions of bringing her to for the use of some ritual or something. She dared not look or move in fear of what could happen should she make even the slightest of movements. Her body froze in fear, absolute fear, already she could feel it growing cold around her despite wearing the sleeveless gown she had to wear. Though then again it was the only thing she wore since they never did bother to give her any undergarments or anything else, just this sleeveless dress. What did she do? What would they do to her now after the ruckus outside? Would they punish her? Strip her naked and open her stomach to bleed out in a pentagram? Or worse, would they strip her nude and then rape her on a pentagram and allow everyone to take turns with her?

She soon heard the slash of a blade meeting the lock of her cage. Cutting it into pieces upon impact and opening the door that followed with a loud rusty creaking sound.

The sounds were now right behind her, she grabbed herself tighter, crying softly to herself as she prepared to embrace the inevitable that was behind her.

"Alura?…" she heard the voice of someone she thought she would never hear again call her name.

He stood there, all sweaty, his left arm hung down loosely while the other arm cling on to the bars for support. She wouldn't believe it that it was him. She heard what they said, she heard his friends on to what he did for her. This is an Illusion. Those words that described the dangers they faced. It had been six months since she last heard from him, spending all those weeks on to draenor, looking for him, looking for a dead person. Or she thought to be a dead person. The promise that he made to her back at Stormwind Barracks. That he would go back for her, and back at Draenor when she thought, hope has dried out for him, for him to return back like he promised her, Promised her as a friend and as a soldier. He did that for her.

She didn't know how much time had passed. All she did was looked at him, while he stared back at her. Has it been hours? Days? Eternity? She didn't know as she finally found the courage to raise her arms. She's almost thought that a different man stood in front of her. His skin has become rougher, his cheeks were scared, and especially…...his eyes. It did not have the same level of comfort that it had possess. All she could see was something else.

The thumb of her hand rubbed the cheek of the warrior, looking like as if a wild beast has been tamed by a beautiful maiden. Her face contorted to a shock when his healthy hand moved over to gently grip her wrist. She felt his touch once more…...after those months of hoping and that she could touch his hand once more. She doesn't care if the man now was different, it still retained the same feeling that she felt months ago.

Her glowing blue eyes stared just as his name escaped her lips. "Larkon…..?"


	29. A Need to Talk

He kneeled before her, burying his own head on her lap. He did not cry, he did not moan or groan or make a sound. He just buried his face to her lap, wrapping his healthy arm around her waist as his injured arm hang down loosely, drained of strength as it deteriorated even further from the damages of the fel. His neck was hung down as he finally began to utter his words. "I'm back Alura…...I'm back like I said." He told her despite only in muffles because of her dress. It harbored longingness, longing to find some comfort once again, not in the symbol of physical contact, but something else.

"I thought I would never see you again." she sobbed to herself, never in her dreams since the moment she was captured did ever think she would see him again. All this time for so long, she never knew, she thought she had lost him, finally giving in and accepting what people had told her. Yet despite him here and now, she still had so many questions to what happened or where was he all this time when she tried searching for him. All these thoughts were soon interrupted when she saw the emerald green fires of fel slowly continuing to burn his right arm.

"By the Light, your arm!" she gasped loudly, she knew very well how dangerous and lethal fel fire and fel magic in general was. This was not doubt a result of fighting with that Warlock who held her captive her for such a time.

"I'll be fine it's just a burn." he muttered like as if not caring that it would kill him if not treated immediately.

"Just a burn, Larkon fel fire is burning your arm! There's almost no way to treat it without magic you need immediate help right away!" she spoke in a panic, not even letting him have the chance to answer as she focused her Holy healing magic to try and stop the fel fire from burning his arm even more, while healing it at the sametime.

"I'm….alright Alura…." He assured her, but there was nothing to suggest that he spoke the truth. He picked up his sword and sat beside her, and gave her the surprise of her life when the warrior began peeling down the affected skin.

"What are you doing?!" she almost shouted in fear of what he was doing.

"I'm getting rid of the affected skin so you don't have to worry or waste your magic on it." he answered, quickly peeling away the green burning skin that was burned by the fel magic. He said it like as if there was nothing else on his mind as the pain did not register to his own head. He did it for an agonizing minute, peeling the burned skin away, leaving open bleeding muscles on. "There." He said like as if it was a walk to a park. He then looks up to Alura with hopeful eyes, smiling at her image, lavishing nothing but the person in front of him. "There's nothing to worry now Alura…" He said weakly as the blood drop drips from his arm just as he let go of the sword that did the work.

"Larkon!" she tried still shocked at what he did. "There's still, I can't believe you did that you risk infection and amputation with your arm. Please just let me at least heal the damage done to it." she requested almost begging him to let her help him.

"Alura I…" he was not able to finish as she started using her Holy healing magic once more to start healing his seriously injured left arm, rather he likes it or not.

"Larkon what did you have to do in order to release me?" She closed her arms around his neck as her forehead came in contact with his chin, her hand healed the damage that he had done on himself. "Larkon, please. Don't ever be telling me that you'll leave. I can't be taking another message like that from you." She sobbed as she let go of his injured arm and kneeled at him, placing both of her hands onto his cheeks. "Promise me Larkon, promise me."

Larkon looked at her, unable to look at her clearly because of his heavy eyes. The energy from his fights and the blood loss drained him. He wanted to tell her. "Then promise me that you won't help me anymore." He countered.

Her eyes opened wide with shock, hurt that he would ask her of such a promise to the one she had asked him. Was what she had did for him all this time searching nothing but a irrational nuisance on his part? Or did he not simply cared if she had found him or not. She found heavy tears forming in her eyes as she didn't know how to respond to that. Not after what all she had been through and only the Light would know that he had suffered through himself.

"Lass, Alura? Are ye in here?' she heard another familiar voice she did not expect to come here as well. Though it was not an illusion as she saw the old Dwarf come running into the cave to find her.

"Thark…." she barely mutter as she was just too emotionally shocked to believe this was all true.

"Aye thank the Light lass by my heaven's beard….…" Thark spoke, his face now appeared that a world of heavy weight of burden and worry for her had lifted off his shoulders. He walked towards her, feeling the nothingness of his own weight as he saw her in the cell along with him.

The dwarf sighed, having the relief to watch the warrior still breathe. "Lass, I…...fergive me lass. That, I put ye in this situation." He said.

"What?" she asked, confused on why he would ask her for forgiveness, it was not his fault this happened to her, though the next words she heard from him apparently spoke different. "Thark…..there's nothing else to apologize…..if that's the case then I should have. I put you all here, along because of me." She told him.

"But lass I-" Thark was cut off by the huntress.

"Kuura, lay down so that we can put the injured man on your back." The Night Elf commanded, she was formal, still feeling the venom that she held on the dwarf.

Again another voice Alura did not expect to hear, seeing the beautiful bladed armored striped frostsaber enter and lay down next to Larkon. Flyrae entered and with the dwarf's help, helped Larkon onto the back of her companion. Kuura in the meantime appeared to have missed Alura as she nuzzled her soft furry cheek on her knee.

"Hi Kuura…." She smiled at the feline, happy to see her friends, even the Night Elf.

"We best make haste before more of them return." Flyrae mentioned before takeing lead to exit the cave.

* * *

He rode for days without rest, his mind focused solely to find his daughter. He knew he should've stopped her and sent her home when he had the chance. Now it may have cost him dearly. He hoped and prayed to the Light that she was okay and safe. That some form of miracle would happen while he made his way there. That somehow someone came to her rescue or aide. He would be finding her forever even if that is the case.

He shooked his head and continues on, it had been a week ever since he hovered on to his gryphon and journeyed to find her. He would be adamant or at least hopeful that he will surely find her. He was haunted at the thought of her disappearance. It was all his fault, had he not been so weak and just demanded her to stay there. There was nothing else for him to do, because she was his daughter and she had stopped being the child of his because of his neglect to her.

Sisi squeaked as she pointed out on to the distance. There a family of high elves was astride on a horse strapped on a cart. There was only three of them in fact, and one where he could clearly see the features of a half-elf, all looked gaunt and withered. He approached them with concern to their well being, confused to what has happened to them. The High elves noticed him and quickly one of the older elves hurried her daughter behind her back in maternal protection.

"Ma, we should have rode those gryphons…...we would be in Stormwind Quicker ma…." The half-elf daughter said.

"Shhh Shaila, what we did was for our own safety, we can't assure them. But stay quiet for now….." She told the half-elf girl named Shaila. It seemed that she was the mother by the looks of her features.

Jorden went up to them as the armored snowy gryphon went to his side. "Are you three alright? Had anyone been hurt?" He asked.

"No, we are fine for now. If anything we haven't eaten for days, maybe weeks." the other high elven woman answered with clear sarcasm. "What do you want draenei? We're weak, we're drawn out. Would you harm a small family of elves?" The High elf said.

The Draenei was skeptical to the appearance of the high elf as her eyes were green instead of pink or blue. "No ma'am I would not, I simply would offer help to you and the mother and child, I'm in a mission and I will help someone on the way. If you wish to get to Stormwind at haste I offer you my griffon in your aide." He offered.

"Ma…...I'm hungry…" Complained the half-elven child.

The mother high elf rubbed her young daughter's head as she thought deep about the Draenei's offer. He was a Paladin so there was no reason for there to be treachery at hand. Seeing as how they were deprived of food for days and needed to get to Stormwind as fast as they can, she accepted.

"Very well we accept the offer, thank you ah…"

"I am just a stranger to help." Joven answered. "Fly along now Sisi, take them to Stormwind by the church, they will take over when you land." He ordered as the armored snowy white gryphon began to pick them up one by one on her neck.

The mother smiled to her child and to the draenei. "Shaila, you'll soon meet your father….." She told her before moving to the draenei. "Thank you for your help, I could finally see the father of my child once again." She mentioned.

"Of course mrs." he answered, helping her child up to sit with her mother. In many ways, the half elf child reminded him of his daughter when she was that age. Always wanting him to take her on a ride on a gryphon. It brought some small tears to his eyes as he soon remembered the last words she said to him, how she no longer saw him as a person of importance to her. "I wish you and your family the best of luck."

With that order, the his white gryphon took off. However, the moment the gryphon flew off Joven heard something else. It was the sound of cold steel slashing through the body of someone. Followed by a slight scream of last minute horror and agony. As much as he wanted to continue in search for his daughter, he was bound by the law of the Light to help those in need, and to discover what that was. Making his way over to a nearby graveyard that had a large tomb for some unknown person of importance. Strange, the more he made his way, the colder it got. Getting to the point he could see his breath in the air and felt deep shivers. It was strange indeed, he had not felt such deep chills of cold since he help confront the Lich King.

All around him he saw members of the Kirin Tor, slayed with some form of Frost powers, their bodies laying across the floor and cannibalized to the point that they were no longer recognizable. Only their robes would help him recognize their allegiance. What and why they were here bothered the Paladin. His answers did not take long to answer, for when he entered into the tomb, he found that underground was allot more bigger than it's appearance outside. At the far end where the body of the supposed individual the tomb was meant for, a Death Knight covered from head to toe in dark silver armor and a thick old tattered black cape, stood in front of the resting place of the body. Next to him was a Tauren wearing a mixture of battle armor and Shaman robes and carried a large sword behind him, and a few Twilight Hammer Cultists. The Death Knight effortlessly tore through the stone coffin with one hand, and tore out a strange artifact piece from the skeletal hands of the corpse.

"I never knew my former brothers in arms to hide things in graveyards. They've must've been truly desperate to hide this from me even in my death." the Death knight spoke in a dark voice that placed a deep chill even into the spine of the veteran Draenei Paladin.

Suddenly, the Tauren got on one knee in a kneeling position. "Lord Lazarus if I may."

"May what? We have to move so tell me what you have in mind….." The Death Knight responded.

"This power you seek to acquire, the power you speak of that will help you shape a new world. Will it be enough to stop the Burning Legion when they come?" the Tauren asked.

"This power is politically motivated. When I'm stronger than Darion Morgraine I will have the right to challenge him in combat, and when I win I will take control of the Death Knights, and then we plan what we act. I do not know about the Burning Legion, but I assure you this is not a plan for me to take over the world….hmmmm children are too innocent for the corrupting hands of the current politicians…" Lazarus answered.

"Forgive me my lord it's just. I was shown a vision many months ago, a vision from the spirits of the elements. The Burning Legion are coming back. We will not survive their invasion in our current state. I figured this power would allow us to stop them…." Serid confessed.

"Then set those eyes figured for the future…...because we will bask in the glory. They'll not stay long in the world because power is in for Azeroth." The Death Knight told, using his powers to reduce the temperature surrounding to the point that the plants surrounding them died as they stood frozen.

"Of course, forgive me my lord for my questioning." the Tauren bowed his head and stood back up.

He felt the Death Knight hand him the piece of the artifact. "Go take this to Dr. Jiink back in my fortress, and try not to lose sleep over the Legion for I assure you if they and when they do arrive they will be the first to feel my wrath." Lazarus assured him.

"Of course my lord." the shaman bowed his head and used his hearthstone to transport back to where ever he was ordered to.

The Death Knight looked over to the rest of the cultist. "Go back to the vale….I heard the priestess has been captured, I'm so eager to see her because judging from what hearsay I have heard, she is more beautiful than Erecia…..hmmmmm." The Death Knight told.

"As you wish my lord." they spoke before using their magic to disappear and go to where they were ordered.

When the Twilight Hammer Cultists were out of sight. All that now stood in the large tomb was the Death Knight himself, or so he knew better. "You may come out now, Paladin, I can smell your fear."

The Draenei Paladin revealed himself. "I'm not in fear for you, but merely curious of this 'priestess' that you have mentioned. There's nothing else to see here, than a product of the scourge with power and armor." He said.

"This mere priestess doesn't concern you, draenei…" The Death Knight said before unleashing bolts of frost from the ground, coming out from it, trailing towards the Paladin.

Joven responded by smashing his sword to the ground, shattering the lines of frost, but it formed a big wall of ice in front of him. He swung his word and destroyed the ice. The sword of the paladin caught the rune sword that was about to strike him down, and he quickly responds by kicking the Death Knight, sending him in a distance.

Lazarus decided for his better judgement. There was nothing else to gain. He smiled under his helmet, forming ice walls once again to surround him, creating a portal in the process. The wall was transparent enough to see the draenei pound on it, making a small crack big enough to hear his voice. "It's Ironic, the priestess is a draenei like you…." The Death Knight told him before disappearing into the portal.

Those words sent chills of deep fear into the Paladin's spine, what if. "Where is my daughter you undead bastard?!" he roared and unleashed as much of his power as he could to obliterate the Ice wall. However it was all in vain for the time he was able to get through the wall, the Death Knight was gone without a trace.

"Alura….."

* * *

She was relieved to finally take a bath for the first time in weeks, if not a month. The stench from that slutty slave disguise and the handling of those sex demons still stuck her nose. Her days there hadn't been kind, though despite their care provided for her was luxurious, there was nothing to suggest that her experience there was luxurious. She was there for the whole time, moved in fear to what will happen to herself. Would they slit her throat and sacrifice her to the burning Legion? Would they turn her into the demons of Kil'jaeden and turn her to be an Eradari? She doesn't know. She spent her time there, curling in fetal position, covering her ears, only to eat when necessary and only to strip when necessary when the sex demons have their way on her. Despite still being a pure virgin, she doesn't consider herself pure anymore or whatever you call it. She had seen what the outside was, what vulgarity is, and a flesh inside her nethers would not be cancelling that out. She wanted none of what she had experienced, she wanted everything to be normal once more, back to be friends with Kinar, Thark, and Larkon.

Alura turned to her side, seeing at the edge of the falls, Thark sitting on a rock with a blindfold on his one good eye, clutching his gun on to protect her. In truth she wanted Larkon to be on the place of the dwarf. She wanted to look at him, how he acts, how he speaks, what words will he utter to her, what quotes he would give. She changed for a little, just having the knowledge of the outside, but still retaining her innocence. Yet for Larkon, he changed for good. She could see it in his eyes, how he gaze, how he stares, and how it blink. He was a changed man, and nothing could deny that.

"Lass, I be back in just a wee bit, need to check and see how the lad is doing with his arm." she head Thark spoke, turning around and walking off just to check on Larkon. In his place the Night Elf sat down on the rock.

In the meantime, Larkon laid on the ground close to the fireplace where they had made camp. He stared at his arm and hand that was completely wrapped in heavy bandages and soaked with herbs the Night Elf huntress had made. In the back of the mind the blood elf warlock words of 'He will come for her…' haunted him without end. His thoughts were interrupted when he saw the old dwarf enter and take the blindfold off his one good eye.

"Aye how ye be lad?" Thark asked while poking the fire with a stick to keep it going.

The young warrior turned back to see the dwarf right back before going his attention back to his arm. "Doing good, that's that." He told him someone disturbingly. "How about the others? Are they alright?" He asked.

"Aye they be doing fine, in their own way I be guessing. Flyrae be upset about her older twin brother for he be the one who captured Alura in the first place. A illidari Demon Hunter personally trained by Illidan." Thark explained regarding the Huntress.

Larkon just smiled at what he had just said and was seemingly out from his own reality. "How nice…"

"Ye think that now untill ye fight him one on one. Illidari be no pushover lad, this one being a prime example, I be ending up using the coins from me own Inn just to take the thing down." Thark spoke seriously, looking back at him with his one good eye.

This time Larkon didn't respond and was just continually meddling with his sore arm, rubbing it through the bandages without care as he continued to lay on the ground. "And Alura?"

With a heavy sigh, Thark continued. "Aye I don't know lad, Light only knows what she be putting up with during that time. I don't have the right to ask the questions of what happen as it be my fault that she be captured in the first place." the dwarf spoke still sounding sad.

"Look Thark, I don't care whose fault is it. I don't give a damn about that. I just wanted her to go back home." He told him.

Thark was silent for sometime, a little surprised by the lad's outburst, but then again not that surprised. "Aye, me too lad, me too."

Meanwhile, Alura bathed in the lake close to the waterfall, doing what she can to try and wash away the stench and feeling of all she had put up with. She felt nervous seeing the Night Elf not wearing a blindfold or closing her eyes. Seeing how the Draenei was naked in the water. Then again she could tell the Huntress looked deeply bothered about something. The way her eyes looked deeply sad about something.

"What are you so enamored about Fylrae?" Alura asked while she washed her hair.

The Night Elf did not answer right or way or for a little while. Instead when Alura had finished washing her white hair, she answered but it wasn't the answer the Priestess wanted to hear. "It's something personal I best not talk about priestess."

"Why not? Personal somethings are always the most truthful ones. There is nothing to lose if you share it to someone you know." She told him.

The huntress avoided the subject. "So what is the truth between you and him? He seem's like a man eager to commit suicide right about now." She told her.

She remained silent, wishing to avoid the subject of that just like she just did right now. Still since she did not know of something to help avoid the subject, she best answer. "I...I do not know, he's...different...not how I remember him."

"Their different, they're all different." She said before continuing to add. "It's bad when they become different you know? We being pretentious, pretending that everything will be alright while they are fighting their own demons whether they are in the form of experience, memories or nightmares." She told the draenei.

She remained still for sometime. "Something my mother told me once regarding people enduring that form of something. She said to them, they start to forget, the things you should remember. And they can't stop remembering, the things they should forget. They used to always have hope that this would change. Not anymore. The life they once had is gone forever." Alura spoke.

"You can't afford to let the human go can't you?" The Night elf asked to her while the draenei began to sit down on the edge of the falls. "If he's part of the Squadron like his file said then there is nothing for him to have here in life. No Relatives, No father, no mother, no brothers, no sisters, no uncles, no aunts. Just him and the world." She told.

She wrapped her arms around herself and bit her lip a little. Larkon had nothing now, his squadron was all the family he had, and though she did not ask, she could tell they were all gone from him. The way he had not yet told her and the way how he had changed so much, was all that was needed for her to know that the only family he had in this world was gone. Now, it was just him, and the world. His Captain, Jorden wouldn't be there to be shouting at him at the morning dawn to train, he won't be having his best friends, The Worgen, the Dwarf, and the others be drinking at Thark's place. He knew them longer than he knew her. What else would motivate him to not let himself go? Not just delve into grief and sit all day inside his tent, watching time fly as he laid there with all lone, going back to the memory lanes of the good past.

"I'm confident that he will stay strong for friends at least right? He seems like a good man that still wants to go back to the sweet days." The huntress told.

"I pray to the Light for that." Alura spoke as she lowered herself back into the water of the lake.

"Are we all ready to move out?" Larkon suddenly butted in out of the blue. He stood there, seemingly indifferent to the whole equation as he asked them with a slightly commanding tone that seemingly surprised the draenei.

To Alura's luck her back was turned to him at the moment he entered, and she was partially covered by the water of the lake. Still a huge dark blue blush appeared on her face as she looked back over her left shoulder with a slight surprised look on her face, all the while she still made sure to cover herself. It is the first time that Larkon had seen her bare. She was slightly curious on to what his reaction would be. She turned, but was met with disappointment when he was no longer there, as he moved on to ready the horses and to ready the cart that they had found unhorsed in the road.

"Here, your dress is ready for you…." Fylrae told her as she held the dress in her arms.

"Thank you, just, leave it there and I'll be dressed in a minute." Alura requested, her blush never leaving her face. Despite being in the cold water of the lake, she felt her whole body heat up and her heart racing, pounding her chest to a painful level as she found herself having some trouble breathing.

She took the dress, drying herself out with the help of the night elf before dressing up to join them. It felt nice to wear her normal dress again instead of the elegant sleeveless gown. It was still nice to wear but she prefered to wear some undergarments as well. It felt good to wear a bra and panties again. It helped make her feel, less exposed now she was fully dressed once again.

Almost as she arrived with Flyrae, Alura noticed Larkon already packing and moving out. He just decided to stay set inside the cart while Thark got on horseback that pulled it and the Night Elf got on her Frost Saber, Kuura.

"Here, allow me." The huntress offered as she helped the Priestess up to her and take a seat on the cart, sitting across from the human who did not seem to notice or even care.

They finally started to roll down on the cart, finally moving along the road where they don't have to fight anyone anymore. Alura watched the man in front of him, practically was motionless as his eyes was on a small necklace in his uninjured hand. She doesn't know what that necklace means to him, but perhaps she knew in a sense that it was important for him. The priestess though felt left out by the silence of her friend. He was lost, he was missing, and now he had return to her, yet he did utter a word at her, or anyone else.

She watched him closely as he let go of the necklace, staring to the nothingness of the vale of the forest. She wanted him to notice her, notice her stare, how her eyes observed him. How she wanted to hear him talk to her once more. Alura wanted to have that moment again where they reconnect, just like they did in the Stormwind Barracks months ago, where he touched her cheeks as he wiped her face from the tricks of her tears. She felt at ease when he did that and she wanted to have the same thing once more with him.

"Larkon….."

He looked over to her direction, his arms on his knees. "Yes Alura?" He responded, it didn't harbored the same sense of joy that he had once.

"Umm…..are you alright now Larkon? Is your arm…..healed?" She asked, trying to find a subject that would start to spark a plausible conversation for the two.

He looked at his arm and just nodded in her direction. "I'll be alright." He said to her.

"Are you sure, it was fire's from Fel that was burning your arm and…"

"I'll be alright." he told her once more, placing emphasis on letting her know he was alright.

It scared her just a little the way he had told her. Yet it would appear he had noticed his harsh tone with her and sighed. "I'm sorry just…just don't mind about me alright Alura? Take care for yourself right now while I'll find my own on how." He told her.

What he told her didn't assured her one bit, but in fact was horrified on his words to which he meant by 'how' he will find his own to take care of himself. Can he not trust his friends? Did the unknown things he did forced him to tell his friends to let him rot on his own? She wanted to find the words to properly help him, to understand and to know what he had go through in order to fulfill that promise he kept for her, and for her only.

"Larkon…" She called once again. "Are you alright?" She asked, but not on the emphasis about his arm, but rather his entire well being. How he looked so far off from the sense of reality, where he looked like as if he couldn't hold on to life. A pure hypocrisy to what he had told her back in the lake of Elwynn forest. "You know, you…...we….I'm here. You can talk to…..me." She told him softly.

Larkon grinned, but it did not harbor any happiness. "You know Alura, I can…..I can take a nightmare, you don't have to be involved in it."

"But Larkon…"

"Look, now is not a good time, and I don't know if there ever again will be a good time. But I will not drag into that hell. I've caused enough problems for you already when I left." he gently interrupted, not letting her finish the rest of her sentence. "Just take care of yourself, don't worry about me there's nothing to worry about me." He told her, clearly putting a period in his tone.

The Night elf noticed the tension between the two and looks at the dwarf. "Their…."

"Leave them lass, let the two settle it down fer themselves….." He replied.

"Why do you say that Larkon? Why do you say that like as if you got nothing left for yourself." She asked.

"Alura look at me, does it look like I have anything left for myself. Everyone I knew since I was a kid, the only family I ever had are gone. The life I once had is gone forever. The only thing I have now is the promise I made to you. Once that's done I'm not sure what else I'm going to do. Maybe go back to doing the only thing I was good at and that's keep fighting until I can't no more. So what difference would it make if i was to drop dead now or later?" he answered.

She shook her head, not wanting to hear his words. "What about your friends Larkon? What about us? Thark? Kinar? Durel? Me…..are we not part of your life?." She told him, her voice raising out as she made her point, but the human's outburst was enough to make her release a trick of tear.

Larkon looked back to her, seeing tears pour from her eyes even through her hands which she used to cover them to no success. Whatever he had turned into, he still hated to make women cry, he just could not stand it.

'Damn' he whispered to himself. "Alright Alura, I'm wrong okay? You're there, I'm not alone. Along with Thark, Kinar, Durel or anyone else that I can remember. They're there. So like I said in the past, let's keep that pretty face of yours clean from your tears alright? I was being rude, and I will damn and hate myself if I hurt you in anyway possible." He told her, as he used his bandaged arm to gently wipe out her tears, while his healthy metal gloved hand rubbed her cheeks gently.

She stared into his hazel green eyes with her glowing luminescent blue ones. By instinct she held his strong metal gloved hand close to her. It had been so long since he had done that and she had missed it so much she didn't want to let go, as if afraid to loose him again. "I just don't want to see my friends go down while I do nothing of it Larkon….If you deny me to help you that would consume me if ever I can't do anything where you needed one…." She told him.

He shooked his head. "It doesn't matter if you help me or not. Just be safe, If there was a situation that I would have to either save myself or to save your life, I will choose to save your life a thousand times over." He told her. "I just don't want you to know what I have to do to reach here, so please Alura, do not worry about me." She told.

His words tugged her heart. The last time she had heard him say that to her is the time where her heart was torn to a thousand pieces when she heard that he wasn't going to be able to reach home. She felt that it would be foolish to trust his words again, she was adamant that it would lead to his own heart break once more. She wanted to trust him, she can't have the will to say no to him.

He layed back at the back of the cart and tried to see if he could get some rest. Still he did make sure to say. "And, sorry I popped out of nowhere while you were still bathing."

She smiled. "It's alright Larkon…" She told him.

Deep inside her heart she knew that she had made a grave mistake by letting it go once more, letting him go and let him do what he has to do. The moment he said that he only lived because of her and the others shows that he is in the deep shadows, and she trusted him that he could take care of himself. She knew that if tells herself once more that everything is going to be alright once more, just like she did those months ago it would leave regrets, lingering around, wishing for it to never happen.

"And thanks Larkon….." She told him.

"For what?" He asked.

"For everything, for being there, for being here, for fulfilling your promise. It's something that….."

"Just get back home alright Alura? Let me take care of myself. Just get some sleep." He told her.

Alura leaned in and kissed his cheek to his surprise before letting her head rest on the cushion the dwarf laid specifically for the draenei. She looked up to him, smiling, thinking once more that everything is going to be alright for them the moment on.

"Thank you Larkon…I….love you as my friend..." She whispered low enough that he doesn't hear it. It seems for her that the phrase 'as my friend' lacked. But she had to rest and just let it go.


	30. I just Wan't You to Stop Crying

He didn't know how long he sat there on the edge of the bed. Ever since he had returned to the secret yet abandoned fortress located somewhere unknown to most, his mind was only focused on the events that led him to such defeat. There he sat in only his trousers and boots, his chest and other places where injuries laid, were wrapped in heavy bandages. Yet the pain from his injuries did not bother him. Instead it was the pain from the defeat of the human that clouded his mind and thoughts. He stared at the Icy cold floor of the room and looked at his hand. Remembering the events of his clash with the gladiator and balled a fist in anger. His fist glowing with emerald fel fire as he felt the rage drawn from humiliation and defeat burn in his veins. If it was the last thing he did he will get revenge and make that human pay for such an embarrassing defeat. 

"I take it you failed to claim the priestess, right?" Kreus heard the voice of the Goblin, Dr. Jiink.

Looking up, he saw the doctor entered using four mechanical bladed arms attached on a special robotic rig on his back to walk up and stand on equal height as the others. He walked up to him using his robotic four arms. All the while had his real arms crossed behind his back.

"Someone is not proud of you now Kreus." the Goblin spoke to him.

The warlock sat silent for a moment, just staring at the cold floor of the ground. "How many artifact pieces do we have now?"

"From the scale of how many that are missing, I calculate we only possess ten percent." the goblin answered.

"Shit…" the warlock cursed, getting up and cringing in pain from his shattered ribs, he slowly made his way out of the room.

Eventually with much struggle, he found his way into the office of the Doctor, with Lazarus waiting for him inside. There just standing calmly outside the window with his arms crossed behind his back.

"What happened?" the Death Knight asked, getting straight to the point as he already knew Kreus failed to retrieve the priestess.

The Warlock, kneeled on one knee to bow in shame for his defeat.

"There are always failures, there are always mistakes, but this one had to make me torture a few cultists who flee for their own lives, instead of protecting the draenei. Human is it Kreus? A man your own size or slightly bigger yet you did not have the power to defeat him, but you have the power to defeat groups of imbeciles with ease." The Death Knight told.

The blood elf was speechless, he had no words to excuse himself for what he failed to do.

"But, I take it this human was no imbecile. Even Daken returned bloodied and beaten, showing me that this human had help as well."

Lazarus turned to look towards Kreus, still seeing him in a one knee bowing position, ashamed to look at his lord. He heard the sound of metal clad footsteps making their way over to him, he cringed and readied himself for punishment. However it did not happen, instead he felt the icy cold metal claw-like bladed gauntlets of the Death Knight that were shaped much like a skeletal dragon's talons, softly touch his chin and made him look into the eyes of the Death Knight.

"So where is the draenei…." The Death Knight asked. "Them creatures are as magnificent as a beating heart, and I will find her so that I can see for myself." He chuckled eerily. "Foolish enough to say these cultists say that her lover was the human who saved her, a common story about a damsel in distress saved by a strong warrior…."

"My lord…" the warlock spoke, just as the Death Knight released his cold metal sharp claws from his chin. Leaving only a small scratch that drew blood due to how razor sharp they were.

"In many ways, this….human, that I am hearing about. In many ways, reminds of, my past self. The self I was years ago before, they turned against me."

"I will personally see to it that I bring her back even if I have to drag her by the horns myself!"

"No...I have a more, interesting task for you now. As for the Draenei, I will take care of her, personally, myself." the Death Knight answered.

Kreus raised his brow.

"In the meantime we will need a suitable location to perform the ritual. You will find this location for me, one close to Stormwind."

"Of course my lord."

The Death Knight without another word or emotion, took his leave. Making his way down the icy cold frozen corridor, down and further below he arrived in a large former combat training arena. There, the cultist who had ran for their lives were beaten and crippled to the point they could no longer move as much, laid on their knees in fear for their lives.

As the Death Knight made his way down to them, he heard loud shouts of a familiar troll curses echo through the hall.

"Hey mon I fulfilled my end of the bargain what da hell this be?!" Kor demanded as cult members dragged him into the room and throw him to the feet of their undead leader. When the troll realized who the metal clad boots belong to he shivered. "Ah shit mon."

"How did this human know of the Draenei?" the Death Knight asked.

"What mon?" Kor asked confused.

Having little patience, Lazarus lifted his hand and magically yanked the troll in the air and slowly choke him.

"Who did you tell regarding the draenei?" he asked once more.

"Look mon it be an old dwarf okay mon, he threatened to shoot me if I didn't say a word!" Kor yelled in his defense.

"And you think a bullet is what you need to fear more than what I could could do?" Lazarus asked.

The troll did not answer, so the Death Knight flicked his wrist to throw him hard onto a nearby wall. The cultists yanked the troll back up and held him down as the Death Knight wanted him to watch as he makes the broken restrained cultists as an example.

With just a simple raise of his hands, the Death Knight used his dark powers to raise undead creatures from the ground. All close to the cultist. Yet he did not have the undead ghouls kill the cultists, instead he had them painfully break each of their legs to slow them down for something far more worse then death by their hands. After magically releasing the broken traitorous cultists from their binds with a snap of his clawed fingers, The Death Knight used his powers, opening a Death Gate. Summoning a large Frostbrood Vanquisher, a frost worm considered among the fiercest and most relentless of all frost wyrms. Standing ten feet tall at the shoulders, all adorned with nothing by the icy combed of its frost and ice, dangling down from his bones.

The creature raised one of its large claws and strike down one of the beaten cultist, its claws large enough that the entire claw goes all the way through his neck, splattering the walls with blood. Causing a panic among the beaten cultist with their lives on the line.

The troll rogue was pissing his pants on the sight of horror that was being shown in front of him. One by one as each crippled cultist struggled desperately to flee but could not make much fairgrounds get torn to shreds of blood and gore as the vicious frost wyvern. Using his claws to slice them into multiples pieces while they were still alive. His jaws to grab one and swing his body back and forth until the other half went flying across the room. The screams of anguish and agony frighten all the cultist within the area to have second thoughts of crossing the death knight. One human cultist who had his leg broken to the point the bone tore out, was grabbed by the frost wyvern. Snapping it's razor sharp jaws right at the torn broken part of the leg. The cultist screamed in the loudest agony of pain before the frost wyvern threw him up in the air and snapped his jaws shut on his body. Spewing his blood and gore all over the floor.

When everything was said and done, there were pieces of the cultists all over the area, torn to shreds to the point of unrecognition. Only blood, gore, and small pieces were all that was left. The Frostbrood Vanquisher jaws was smeared and pouring with tones of blood and gore, turning his eyes towards the troll. Suddenly it made a mad charge to the troll and threatened to tear him to shreds with it's jaws like it did no different than the cultists who fled for their lives and allowed the Draenei to escape.

With a snap of his clawed fingers, the dragon stopped, seizing its actions and remaining still. Lazarus approached the frost wyvern as the blood from it's jaws and paws dripped all over the now frightened troll. He turned his head to the death knight and nuzzled his metal clawed hand as Lazarus petted his snout.

"You see, it is not death you should fear. But the pain and agony of how you will die that you should fear the most. And should you ever fuck me over again I will show you what true agony is." Lazarus spoke as he motioned for the cultists to let the troll go leave.

Kor struggled to move, his body so frightened and traumatized from what he saw that he was beginning to have trouble breathing. Too scared that even breathing would enraged the dangerous pet of the death Knight.

"Lucky for you I still have a use. Only this time, I want you to start aiding my cultists in search of my artifacts. But since you fucked me over with the Draenei. Consider your payment for your aide in my search being my mercy to let you live."

"Of course mon, what ever ye say boss…" Kor answered right away, now terrified and scared beyond belief and desperate to do anything to keep from getting on the bad side of the Death Knight.

Lazrus motioned for the troll to leave, who quickly ran out of the room much faster than the cultist left. When the rouge was out of sight, he turned to his most trusted and closest friend, his Frostbrood Vanquisher, and started petting him softly. The Frost Wyvern in return nuzzled it's cheek at his master's hand.

"Azure, I thank you for your friendship, my old friend." the Death Knight spoke to his close companion and friend as he petted it's skeletal snout softly.

* * *

The Orc rode on a cart with travelers for many weeks now. The weeks prior to that he came across adventurous who wanted to join in the war effort. If he knew his step children well they would be on the front or at least close to the Black Gate. Perhaps his close friend Thrall, their teacher will be there to give him some spiritual advice over the events of what happened to him. Maybe help the family of the Orc his human friend killed find closure in his sacrifice.

"Hey Orc, we're here." he heard the Gnome directing the horses call to him.

WIth a sigh, Urak rose from his thoughts and sat up from the cart to hop off from it. He still wore the gladiator gear as he felt it both was very useful and a showcase of his trails. Taking a deep breath, he slowly made his way into the established camp where he hoped his step daughter was stationed at. It had been years since he last saw her and her older brother. He had raised them both to follow their own path, proud of the people they became. Yet despite knowing what great people they have become, it still filled his mind and body with nervousness to approach them years after letting them go to walk their own path in life.

As he made his way into the camp, he took notice of members of the Horde's army recognizing him already. Almost in an instant, a fellow orc warrior proudly announced his return.

"The master of the blade Urak Doomfang has returned!" the Orc warrior announced, which started a chain reaction of cheers and chants from several soldiers that knew him from the Horde.

The orcish Blademaster wasn't much to smile as they meet. He didn't have the face for it as he looked around to announce the discovery of a necklace. "Does anybody here knows this symbol of the necklace? Anybody knows who bare this to be given to their wife and child?" He asked them.

One of the bigger orcs walk up to him. "I be taking that from you, at least my sister and nephew will finally rest from guilt." He said to them. "My sister's mate. Garond Wondersoul." He told them.

He nodded to the bigger Orc before making his way out of the crowed. At least he was able to bring peace to the deceased Orc and his family. Now that was left was to find his family.

His search was not long as he found the Tauren Shaman reddish brown Tauren with blue eyes, wearing the tribal bracelets and necklaces of fine trinkets of ivory, bone and amber. He smiled at the sight of her smiling towards him. She was still wearing the jewelry he had crafted for her when she was young. Slowly he walked up to her and wrapped his huge muscled arms around her gently as she returned the hug as well.

"It's been a long time, Serga…"

"It has, father…" she smiled and hugged him softly. "I have missed you…"

"And I have as well…" he let's her go and looked around, he would've expected her older brother to be with her since he was always protective of her. Yet he was not here. "Where is your older brother?"

A sad look of grief fell onto the Shaman's face followed by a sigh that was equally sad. "It's best if I speak to you in private."

"We best do that, I have yet to see what 'problem' is for the boy." He told.

She cringed a little, knowing it was more than simple trouble. Still she motioned him to follow her as she made her way over to one of the tents. Inside she took a seat and motioned for her step father to do so as well.

"He came to me one night after meditating with the Spirits of the Elements. And then, from what he told me, he was shown a vision."

"What kind of vision did the elements show him?"

Serga was hesitant for a moment. "The Return of the Burning Legion."

"What?" Urak asked, shocked.

"I know not how this may come to pass. But Serid told me we all must unite to stand against them for we would not survive their invasion to our world. He asked me to try and convince Thrall to help unite the races of Azeroth. When I told him it wouldn't be possible, he left without a word and I haven't seen him since." she spoke sounding slight sad.

The Orc remained silent for sometime, not sure how to respond or answer that. Still he was able to find words. "He was always a rebellious young one but he had a good heart and a blessed spirit. I don't know if this vision of his will come true or not but we need to find him. Are there any leads?"

"From the time I have been here, during my meditation hours consulting with the Spirits regarding my brother, they have spoken to me of going to Stormwind."

"While the Thrall will speak with the Stormwind King in their own home, we will be there to guard him." Urak immediately came up with a solution with a smirk which brought a smile to the Shaman.

"You always were the quick thinker of the family father."

"It's what I do daughter."

* * *

His eyes opened from the shock where the cart shocked when it hits a rock. He looked around to see it was already in the morning lights. He noticed his face was slightly covered with sweat when one of the nightmares induced once more in his sleep. It's been a four days straight when every time he closes his eyes to rest the images of insanity, corpses, and blood keeps on appearing right before him and it always ends with him on the point of insanity to which he didn't know why.

The toll to which the fighting really took him along the nightmare induced dreams. Having to to see everything and front seat from draenor to the arena, he knew that if he ever survived the price would be not be able to have a peaceful sleep for the rest of his life. Death isn't that bad either for him if it means he gets to sleep forever.

He turned to see his right when he noticed his shoulder was slightly weighed into which the culprit was Alura, sleeping soundly on his shoulder with a smile imprinted onto her lips. He could only just smile back to her for the sight of the beautiful white haired draenei sleeping peacefully on to him, a peaceful sleep that he wouldn't get from now on.

He moved, bringing his calloused hands onto her head, slipping her head gently from his shoulders to let her head rest on the small cushion the dwarf brought for the draenei. How happy would she be now that his own promise to her would be full filled. He may no longer have the happiness now but at least he will have the last pint of happiness on watching her smile before the light that shed his smile would be snuffed out forever.

He could just admire her from the distance, in the shadows while she would be on the limelight. He noticed her beauty and her kindness, but she must never know what he did to get back home.

He looked back towards the Night Elf huntress who was still riding her striped Frostsaber. Out of all the people that came to help and such, she was the only one who was strange to him. He had never meet or even know her, and even during these past days accompanying her in this travel, he still did not know anything of her. So he figured he start a conversation with her since they weren't going to arrive in Stormwind anytime soon.

The warrior wondered. She's not a night elf that shared the same characteristics of the night elf he know back in the slave mansion. "You know the dwarf?" The warrior asked, looking over to her to which he noticed she was just about the same height of Seleara. "Found it odd because I never knew him mentioning a night elf back home." He told.

"No, we met first time back at the camp he, the Draenei, Worgen, Gnome, and Pandaren came to help in the war effort. I was there doing what I can. I came along because the story he told of you reminded me of how I lost my brother. Or so I thought I lost him." she answered, looking at him with soft sad silver glowing eyes, her face was almost unreadable because of her half mask and hood. Her eyes were the only way for the former gladiator could tell she was wrong with her.

He chuckled at the mention of the Gnome, he knew that it was Finan. He was just surprised that the Gnome had enough heart to help some. His laugh waned out immediately. "Their always lost when we needed them the most." He said.

The Night Elf did not say much else, she was a quiet type of character Larkon noticed. This was probably the first set of words he had heard from her in four days. Thark had mentioned about her brother being the one who became a Illidari Demon Hunter and was the one who took Alura. From all that can he tell she had no idea of this knowledge and was not expecting him to be alive until she saw him for the first time since the last time he saw him, believing him to be dead all that time until now.

"So, you were close to your brother?" he asked thanks to curiosity getting the better of him.

"He's the only one I depend on. I'm just glad that I still see him to this day." She told him. She was getting the better end to where the conversation lies.

He smiled at least for them knowing that at least someone of flesh and blood was still alive for the elven woman. "I was going to say that we're two but I guess you're alone in that aspect." He told her.

"Aye Alura, get up and get a look at this." they heard the dwarf announced as he stopped the cart suddenly.

"Is Alura there?" Asked the voice, revealing to be Joven who was hurrying over to them when the dwarf nodded towards his attention.

Alura awoke from her sleep to see her father rushing towards her, much to her surprise. "Father?" She exclaimed before finding her wits to dissipate the fog inside her mind. "What are you doing here?" She asked him, as he stared at her with relief.

"Oh by the Light I'm glad you're safe…" He said as he went up to her and gave her a deep embrace.

She did not embrace him back as she was still deeply confused to see him here all of a sudden. She had thought he was still on the front lines attending to that special mission King Varian had for him. "I thought you were still at the Dark Portal?"

"What? Alura, you're my one and only child, I would always put your safety above my duty. That's why I'm here." He told her before acknowledging the others of the group. "I am indebted to you all. If it wasn't for you all I might have not seen…" he didn't finish, he doesn't want to even mention such situation. "I'll just want to say my sincere thanks."

"Aye ye know me Joven, Alura is like me own, I never leave her behind and I would tear through the entire twisting nether with me bare hands to help her." Thark explained to the Vindicator. "Aye, at least the lassy still succeeds in her mission on finding the lad. I be surprised." The dwarf remarked.

The older Paladin turned towards the direction of Larkon. He had not much time to greet the human, in fact this was the first he had seen him face to face. He looked, different then how Jorden described him to be.

"You must be Larkon I have heard much of. As you may know I am Vindicator Joven of Exodar and I'm actually honored to meet you in person for once. Your captain Jorden has spoken very highly of you to me." Joven spoke calmly, reaching out to shake hands with the human.

"My captain is dead vindicator, his words doesn't mean much now to me…" He replied to which everybody else was surprised even the vindicator itself.

"I...I'm deeply sorry Larkon, if I had known, I would've done what I could to bring you and his squad back earlier. If it wasn't for the General who I have strong reasons to believe kept burning the letters me and Alura were trying to send to each other…"

"It wouldn't have mattered sir, he would've found a way to overpass even your authority. Nothing would've changed…" the human answered quietly once more.

He turned his attention back to his daughter. "Do you know who did this to you Alura? Just tell me, I can gather a team to find them and have them apprehended." He told her.

"I don't know who they were, just look father, I'm alright there's nothing to find here but an assurance that I'm safe." She told him.

"Alura I have reason to believe that there is a culprit that needs to get caught. I'm not going to do nothing." He told her.

"Then you'll find nothing from me, there's nothing to find father. It's done, I'm safe, they'll never find me again because I'm not going to be abducted again. There's nothing to fear, there's no one to arrest." She told him with a finalized tone.

"Alright I acknowledge your judgement." He told her before adding a comforting remark. "I just wanted to make sure that you're safe."

She didn't say anything else from that, she didn't even look at him much, if anything she just wanted to get back home in hopes that things may be back to normal or at least as normal they could get anymore.

"Alura…?"

"This doesn't change anything…" she told him a little harshly perhaps too harshly.

"Alura, do you always maintain that disdain?" He asked but he did not receive the end of her answer.

She did not want to answer or really wasn't even in the mood to speak to him at this moment. She just wanted to get back home as fast as possible and do what she could to be rid of the experience that will plague her for a few days or more.

"Still, I'm sorry…"

"If you had just stopped Moira when you had the chance none of this would've happened. Just leave me alone please." were the only words she spoke to him finishing this talk with him.

The Paladin heard enough from his daughter and acknowledged her. "Alright Alura, just get back home safely." He said before looking over to the dwarf. "Take her back home, I'll be looking into things inside the vale before I take route to ride the gryphons here and return home." He said.

"Aye will do Joven, ye stay safe out here." Thark replied back, whipping his ropes to start the horses back on their trail back to Stormwind.

Alura watched her father waved a goodbye, despite having disdain for him, she had heart for him to reply with a wave of her own.

She turned her attention back to them, Larkon was watching the forest without care in his surroundings, plucking up dried leaves that fell on the cart with boredom on to his face. He looked at her for a moment, meeting their eyes for a few moments before shifting back to the dried leaf. She still wasn't able to comprehend how he said it. 'My captain is dead so his words doesn't mean much to me anymore…..' it was like as if she heard the last thing he would have said. She had known him, and was close enough that she knows he values his own captain with high regard, but this was something else. Whatever he did really have snapped him to say that.

"Been meaning to ask, what all has been happening in my absence back home, what is the progress with the Dark Portal incident?" he just asked out of the blue.

"The trials are over, we are in the brink of ending it." The huntress volunteered to answer.

He sighed. "At least they hadn't had their slit throats for nothing…." He said that surprised Alura once again to the point that she had to raise her voice.

"Alright Larkon what happened to you? Why would you say such words?" She asked him, slightly raising her own voice.

He raised his brow. "They're dead, the dead doesn't hear my words."

"But you cared for them enough to be the closest thing to family. Jorden was almost like a father to you. What happened to make you such a changed person?" she asked once more. "What happened to the Larkon that teaches me to keep on living? You're a hypocrite for telling me that but then just bolting out from your own self."

He shook his head, finding his eyes at the direction of the dwarf who was slightly shaking his head, indicating that Thark doesn't want him to tell her. "You don't want to know Alura. You don't really want to know." He told. "There's nothing much in here for me and there's nothing much from me to give for you, telling you would just add problems and I don't want to be a burden for you." He told her.

"But Larkon!"

"Please Alura, we all have secrets we don't want to talk about. You wouldn't bother Thark with his personal demons so please don't bother me with my own." he told her just wanting to end the conversation.

"I loved everybody, Thark, Kinar and also that puts you in Larkon. I may let you have it in your own but that doesn't mean I would just let you go. You know I can't do that right?" She told him.

He raised his brow. Did he really heard her tell him that she loved him as family? The shell of a man that fought his way in? He heard it right from her mouth.

"And I'm speaking to you as a friend, who cared for people like you Larkon." She told him.

He smiled at her assurance, but it didn't harbored any happiness for his own. He just wanted to assure her that he can keep his own. "If I can hold my own in a war Alura then I can hold my own against my own problems. You trust me enough to let me go to fight a war, but do you trust me enough to let me handle my problems? If you say yes you know what to do, and if you say no then I'll let you dictate every decision I make so that it makes you happy." He said.

"I…" her mind froze once more, once again placed in a stalemate of not sure what to say or do or how to answer. Yet she was able to answer fast. "I don't know how to answer that…"

"I can answer all your questions if you answer mine Alura. If you don't let me choose then so be it. Whatever you choose, I choose, whatever you decide I follow suite." He told her, waiting an answer to come from her lips. He turned to his head, looking at the dwarf who was nodding at him from behind. It seemed he was more content now of him than he was in the past but that didn't matter. What mattered is what her answer will be. "Choose Alura." He repeated.

She shook her head. How would he ever find comfort if she keeps on forcing herself onto his own affairs? She could clearly see that whatever 'nightmares' that he had kept from her surely wants him to not touch that matter. He was protecting her because he thought he was a burden to her, which is not true to her case. A burden would be something that held no value but still clinging on to her, but he is not. He had value for her, and she couldn't let it go. She can't let him go, not when he needed his friends.

"Larkon please, I don't want to lose you. If…...if I lose you in the near future, how….how am I?" She began to sob quietly before continuing. "Please Larkon, If I lose you now I will…...promise that I can never pick up the pieces and rebuild my shattered self. I promise Larkon that I'll not force you to tell me what happened, just please don't let me let go of you. I want to help you, I want to help you." She begged him as her hands covered her face. The dwarf didn't even bother the two because he knew they needed some reconciliation.

He turned to look back at her, curious and confused from her words of believing why he would leave again. "I'm not going anywhere Alura, why are you so concerned of me departing?" He said to her, raising a small pitch of his voice. "Didn't I say to you that I'll be back, and now I've comeback, why are you so afraid of me leaving? Am I really that of a bastard to you?" He asked softly, feeling a small sense of self-loathing.

"Of course not why would you ever think or say that I would ever think of you of such words of cruelty?!" she almost shouted, completely shocked if not offended that he would ever say that she would ever think of him of such a thing.

"Then why are you this afraid of me leaving. I returned to you as I promised what more do you want from me?" he asked sounding a little angry.

"I just want you to stay with me!" She finally shouted through her sobs, her blue eyes were drowning in tears as she looked up to him with weary eyes. "I hadn't had much sleep in these recent months when you departed, I kept dreaming everyday that Captain Jorden would come inside the gates carrying your corpse. And I was so afraid to the point that I was….." She didn't finish.

"That you were what?" Larkon demanded.

She couldn't answer, her body shivering in fear and confusion as she did not know the answer to that question and even if she did she would not know how to put them into words. Yet she knew he had a right to know.

Fylrae scooted closer to the dwarf. "Should we help them out?" She whispered.

The Dwarf flared his nose at her, and answered with a quiet shout. "Lass how many times do I have to tell ye let the two be! Let them have their moment fer a bit." He told her and with that she nodded.

Alura looked up to him, looking at him directly in the eyes. Her eyes could see his own tremors, but despite its narrowed brow it didn't bear any anger but a sense of concern. "I was so afraid to the point that I was mad at myself Larkon, while you did every promise to me, while you did everything I asked I'm still unsatisfied with it. While you were readying yourself for war you kept on visiting me, while I kept a false sense of comfort, pretending that everything was going to be alright." She told him reluctantly, unable to look at him directly in the eye right now.

He held her chin and softly forced her to look up to him. "Well let go of that, and forget that I had ever left home, because I'm not, with all of my will power will never leave you again. Forget what your dreams told you about me, or that only my head remained in your dreams, or that many others. I just want you to stop, and I mean stop crying." He said before being unexpectedly handed a small cloth by the night elf. "Alright let me get that gorgeous face of yours cleaned up." He said.

She felt a small blush on her face once more as her body felt heated and her heart pounding once more. Why did she feel this way every time he said she was beautiful or gorgeous, or whenever he touched her. She stood solid still as he felt his heavily bandaged hand wipe away the water from her tears on her face. Her body again shivering at each touch he made to her cheek.

He smiled at her reaction. The blue blush was really clear against her light blue skin. Everything else was clear, she was majestically beautiful to the point that he couldn't even begin to describe. He was lucky to met a person like her, and luckier to befriend one. Whatever else maybe he puts her life above his. His life doesn't matter that much, the purpose that remained for him now is to just keep the promise that he made by never leaving her side again. If it means having to keep a false smile for her then so be it.

"Let's enjoy the rest of the trip alright?" He assured her.


	31. A Widow's Wail

1 week later…

They made their wake back in the gates. The statues still standing tall with only a little bit of dust on them due to how people really protected their worth historically. Alura kept on smiling as she remembered the days that they both made their way in the gates, reliving her memories on to how he told her about Turalyon and Alleria. The two lovers of different ideologies, different mindsets, and different races, yet still they are, preserving through in the end and be brought together.

Oh how she craved such fantasy. She looked back, looking at the dwarf who was quietly whistling in happiness, happy to be back, while the elf was walking with the feline on her side. At the sametime, Larkon was at the very end, his head bent down while his eyes were locked onto a necklace.

He had been like this for the remainder of the journey to which she acknowledges it. After what happened between both despite him telling her to stop worrying about him, she couldn't stop. He kept on telling her to not worry about what happened to him or to what happened to him behind closed doors all those times when he was missing. Yet she kept on fussing him, fussing him to the point that she called him a hypocrite for such demeanor towards his own self. She didn't know why she had called him that. Was it because of what he is now?

She looked above, glancing her eyes once again to the towering statue of the elf and the human, smiling, looking at the fonder memories to delve into. "Hey Larkon, I've read about them, Alleria and Turalyon. They had beautiful stories and I'm glad that they had overcome their own demons. Just as Alleria surrendered her own grief to him so that she can finally overcome of what happened at the past." She told him. If it comes to that when he tells her his own grief, what would it be for him?

He looked over her, he was seemingly indifferent to what she had just remarked. "Their good stories that has come around and at least was true. But it's their stories, and not ours, not really much to give for our own stories. But at least they inspire but now I think that's the only thing they are use of, and only to inspire." He said to her, his own enthusiasm about the stories of the heroes seemingly disappeared.

She of course wanted to say something to him. Letting him know how she found what he just said to be completely wrong. Instead before she could, she heard a familiar voice she did not hear in a long time.

Alura!" Kinar jumped into the air in her Worgen form and landed on top of her close friend as a loyal puppy would to her master and friend she had not seen in such a long time. Embracing the Draenei in such a deep passionate sisterly hug as tears poured from her fur cheeks.

"Uuuuuuhuhuhuhu." The worgen cried as she slowly turned back to her human form. She looked up to her friend and hugs her even more. "Alura I'm so sorry!" She sobbed to which the Draenei replied a smile, hugging her back.

"Oh It's alright Kinar, I'm okay. And especially there is someone here with us….." She told her, smiling eagerly for him to reintroduce him back.

"Kinar, Larkon's-" She didn't finish when he disappeared. She looked briefly but found out that he wasn't there.

* * *

He walked his way back to the camp. It's been forever since he last saw this place. Nothing changed here he could see, they were all unmanned. Guessing that the soldiers who probably escaped in those carts were able to escape back along with the injured but were still needed to recover from there. The armory was empty, probably emptied by crooks that made use of the opportunity of entering the unmanned barracks to enter and steal of it. He didn't mind though, they were no longer of use to them.

He continued his way, never minding that he had just left Alura and Kinar back there, because he was all too eager to see his old home once again. They probably do not mind, because this was his home, the only form of home to him at least.

He makes his way all the way back to the arena, refreshing the memories of the good past with his friends. Some of the worgen, drunken dwarf, a cheesy gnome and some that usually drank with him in this hour. Though he never actually drink alcohol, but at least their meaningful time was made of use, despite forcing himself to watch the eyes of his own friends close their eyelids forever.

He shook his head and retired from the arena, and makes his way back till he recognized the tent. The tent now was mangled, but still had enough strength to stand on its own. He walks towards it, looking inside to see that the maps, and books were mangled and torn apart, probably by some idiot that thought there was gold inside the shelves. The table and the chair that his captain usually sat behind were still good, still strong, with the frame laying back, the same frame that a High Elf was painted on.

The frame was damaged, just a small crack on the glass that covered the painting, but the painting itself was intact.

The warrior just smiled. If anything this would be his captain's most valuable item. If he remembers correctly the captain had the mindset that would be enough to trade him for a few parts if it means on repairing it back.

He made no second thoughts. If he wants to preserve the memories of his own captain, then bringing in this painting to preserve it would probably be the best course of action. Everything that lies in the tent are all rotten and forgotten. He looked back one last time at the tent before looking to retire and head on.

He made his way back to the exit, when he saw a High Elf was asking a couple of people from the streets.

"The gate right there ma'am, that's the barracks." he heard them answer to the High Elf, to which he quickly goes back inside the gate. If this person was going to enter here then he has to know what her purpose is. He doesn't want more people messing around the memories of his home.

That was when he got a better look of her now. His eyes opened wide in surprise, it was the same high elf from the photo, the one that his Captain was the lover of for such a long time perhaps ten years ago. There was no mistake about it, everything from her straight white hair to her blue eyes was the exact spitting image from the painting right down to the very last detail.

Though she wore only a simple commoners clothes, just shorts long enough to cover her knees and a short sleeved shirt, but there was no doubt that whoever this woman is this would be the woman that got the captain plaguing his own mind in the years. He watched her looking around the barracks, looking for someone specifically, which he knew who.

She finally caught the sight of a soldier. "Excuse me can you confirm whether or not this is the barracks that a man named Jorden Carson took command?" She asked.

He clutched that painting frame in his hand and nodded at her direction. "Yes, this is where he trains and takes command of soldiers…...ma'am." He replied, soundly nervous as he beckons her to follow. "His tent is just over here, he is…...absent for the moment." He said to her, slightly raising the word 'absent'.

She didn't hesitate and followed to where he was going. The High Elf was determined to meet him once again. They arrived at the small mangled tent to which the human gestured. "This is where he usually is ma'am, it is quite mangled if you looked closely." He tried to make a joke, but clearly even his mind cannot comprehend one.

"Mind If I enter?" She asked,

"Just go inside ma'am and see." He told, and gestures to enter. He watched her enter the tent, seeing her looking around in confusion. Whether or not did she come here to either reunite with him, tell him, or whatever message she would tell him had he been here had him shook.

"I don't understand, I mean he is just absent, but why does he leave the tent so destroyed." She remarked. Unaware that she is never be going to see him again. "If I may young sir that I could request if you can set up a meeting between he and I. I am sure that he would see me. I just have so many things to say for him when he comes back." She told him, bowing before beginning to take her leave, to which the warrior finally had to utter a word.

"I'm sorry." He told her.

"I beg your pardon?" She turned around confused.

He took his necklace off. Holding his breath to tell her the big truth. If she was looking for him because she will tell him that she has an another man, then it is fine by him, at least the captain knows the answer to why. If she tells him that she is here because she still loves him and would try to rekindle then he couldn't utter a word for her.

He approached her. "I would just tell you ma'am that the captain was very good man, I owe a debt of life to him so many times. And I would be proud to be working with him." He told, offering the necklace.

She accepted what he had offered her. "I don't understand, what are you sayin-" She stopped when she takes a closely look at the chain. It read his name, engraved in a steel, a dog tag they call it to identify their soldiers. She began to shiver, usually when it is returned to one's family it only means one thing. She couldn't hold the tears in her eyes as she came to that realization.

"I'm sorry ma'am, if Captain Jorden was close to you, then I'm afraid to say that you will never be able to meet him again." He told her.

She clutched the necklace close to her chest, her heart where he lies to her. So close, so close to reuniting after ten years. Ten years of suddenly leaving his side because of her own cowardice, before realizing her own mistake a month later. "How did he die…...please tell me, a request from a widow." She said through her sobs.

"I was with him, he died fighting. Protecting us protecting me when nobody was going to save us." He said.

She finally kneeled as the tears still flows down her cheeks. "I'm sorry Jorden, I'm so sorry, by the Light forgive me." she told him, before long the warrior held out the painting frame offering it to her.

"He kept this beside him all his days here in the barracks." He informed.

She doesn't know what to think as the memories covered him like the sky to a cloud. How She held that necklace and the painting so close to her heart, especially when one of the items were the memories of how they met by an elf looking so glamorous with her blue dress while a young man offered to paint her image for free just for the sake of it.

When she clutched the frame something felt behind it. Like a piece of paper. She turned it around to see that it was, folded and squeezed in between the edges of the frame. She took it off and unwraps it.

 _Hi Clayla, I know that you're angry at me right now, it's been ten years since…..well since you left me. I just want you to know that whatever the reason is that you had to leave I would well understand that it is my own fault. I'm just writing this letter knowing that you will never be able to read it, while I just get covered by my own grief to the thought. But nonetheless Clayla, I hadn't been seeing any other women, not when you're still in my mind everyday. I wonder whether or not had our child been born, what would he or she be? A Boy for me to train like a prince, or a girl so that I can treat her like a princess. I don't know, perhaps that's my punishment. I don't know even know if you are alive right now. I just missed you so much that is plaguing my mind._

 _I hope wherever you are right now Clayla I hope you are alright, whether you are loved by a man, or just be alone. I hope you can forgive me. No one can replace you, and now I lost you because of me. I'm glad you left me so that you don't have to keep up with me, and find someone better or just be fine with yourself._

 _Please forgive me Clayla._

The Letter ended.

She held the letter and stared at it for sometime. Tears forming heavily in her eyes as she read the last message her love had wrote to her. Letting her know that he always stayed faithful to her no matter what occurred in their lives. Including her leaving him.

"Thank you…" she softly spoke, standing up and held the painting close to her, as if afraid to let it go for it was the last thing she had left of her human lover. She couldn't move her legs when she felt like a mountain. She crumbled down, her legs buckled up as she cried openly, never bothering how humiliating she might have looked at the soldier. "Oh Jorden I'm so sorry…." She sobbed as she looked at the necklace, smothering it against her cheeks. "I loved you so much, when I realized that...that I let my parents take myself away from you I wanted to come back I wanted to, I was searching for you ever since love. But then, the plague, then the undead, then the war happened that…" She mumbled, before holding it in her hand, looking it directly while escaping a smile in her lips as she wanted to tell him something.

"Don't worry love, just like you I didn't found someone else, my heart is now closed because you are the only one I wanted. While we made our child, she's a girl, and her name is Shaila." She said before breathing in slowly, smiling as she talked at the necklace. "She had your eyes...your nose, she's so beautiful Jorden, you would have been overjoyed to see her. But…." The frown returned.

"I'm so sorry Mrs. I wished I could've saved him and perhaps he would be here now if it wasn't for me…" he told her, for the first time in a long time he felt teary eyed himself though he put much effort in trying to hold them in his eyes. Turning around he tried to leave.

"Warrior if you had the time, please visit me in the church someday, they took us in with my daughter along with my sister. I want to know what time he had been doing in here. Shaila would loved to know about her father, at least she would know him despite not meeting him." She requested.

He stopped his movements to hear her words and listen to her request. In truth he did not know how to answer that question. However, since Jorden was the reason why he was here now. Saving his life more times then he was able to save his own. He felt deep down her owed his captain for all he did form.

"Of course ma'am. But if I may, I need time to myself to...discover what I must do now with my life without him to guide me anymore." he told her.

"Thank you so much. I-I thank you that you have told me this. At least when I'm living as a widow I knew that he didn't let go of me. Because I can't let go of him." She said before she began walking away.

* * *

Alura had been searching for Larkon for she guessed three hours now. Yet nowhere she went no one had seen him. Even Kinar who was back in her Worgen form was helping her with her sharper senses couldn't find him anywhere.

"Where would he have gone, he was with us on the way back, in fact he was the one who saved me with Thark and Flyrae's help?" She mentioned to the Worgen.

"I know Alura, but I can't find him anywhere, he doesn't have the scent I remember him having. Just, what's been going on with him, why would he leave all of a sudden coming back?"

"I don't know." Alura replied. "He has been muttering about finding another 'home' because the first apparently left him." Alura said that seemed to let the Worgen have an idea to where he is.

"Oh! Perhaps he is in the barracks! It has been unmanned for months now!" Kinar said.

"Perhaps, let's give it a check right…."

"Alura there you are!" they heard the voice of her father from nowhere as he rushed over to the two as quickly as he could. Taking both priestess by surprise.

"Father….?" Alura asked in complete shock, just how in the world did he get back so fast almost the exact same time as she did.

Joven looked over to her daughter and then to Kinar. "Kinar If you please, would you let me borrow Alura for awhile? I have to resolve something with her that is needed to be addressed. Its very important for both of us." He told the Human Worgen.

"Um sure of course Joven." she hesitantly agreed and left somewhere to give the two Draenei's privacy.

"Alright first how did you get here so fast and second can't this wait this is a really bad time for whatever you got planned this time." She asked.

"Alura this is an even worse time to be debating on me for this even more. You didn't see what I saw, and I feel as your father it is my responsibility to take care of you and get you to safety." Joven responded.

"I can handle my…"

"Don't give me the you can handle yourself excuse. We both know very well how that ended up and right now I need to get you back to the Exodar as fast as possible." he interrupted politely.

Her eyes and widen in surprise from those words. "What…?"

"Alura...listen to me, I don't know what's going on. I don't know who these people are who took you. But I know they will come back for you and I cannot stop them, by myself. So I need you to please, for once listen to me when I say you need to go back to the Exodar and stay there until I at least find something just anything on how to deal with these people." Joven tried to reason with her.

"Why would I do that? I'm an adult who can make decisions for myself. And besides, I have friends here who still wants me to stay here and friends there that still 'needs' me." She told him.

The paladin was triggered when he heard him said those words and changed his stance, slowly losing his own patience. "Alura, you know well my reason of why, and yet your reason to stay is for that 'nobody' is to help that boy that my friend Jorden picked up in the streets?" He said somewhat in passive aggression.

"That boy from the streets has done allot more for me than you ever even tried to do!" she spoke in a passive aggression herself.

He then changed his demeanor as he watched her closely, his patience was now dangerously thin. "Alura If I ever find that man, I will tell him to stay away from you. Whether or not regardless of your own pleadings I will tell him." He said before immediately exploding in paternal anger. "Because he is making you like this! I mean really! Going out to DRAENOR?! Getting Kidnapped?! What had you been doing with that man?! Do not tell me that you had been laying your hands on him in a makeshift bed for you both?!" He accused.

Then before he realized or even saw it, a loud smack was heard in his ears, followed by the pain from his cheek that now carried a the handprint of his own daughter. His face was in complete utter shock, though nothing would prepare him for what he heard next.

"I hate you…" he heard her words, plain and simple.

The pain from the slap was nothing compared to what those words had struck to him. His heart felt it had shattered into countless pieces. His vision became watery from tears forming in his eyes. He dared not look at his daughter but he did anyrate. The look of her face, she appeared to be both enraged and devastated of what he just accused her of. Her eyes were watery with tears but if anything she was more enraged with him than she was saddened by him.

Immediately he felt deep regret for those words he had spoke to her. He had nothing against the boy, he didn't care if he was human, he saved his daughter's life. As such he was indebted to him that he knew he could never pay back. "Alura...I'm sorry...I…"

She bolted off, crying, covering her face with her hand, she didn't look back. How could she, after hearing those words.

"Alura!" She heard his pleads, but never did once she acknowledged it.

She didn't listen or care to hear those words. Her world was shattered and over, a strange cult was after her, he close friend was slowly destroying himself, and now her own father has turned against her. What has she done to deserve this punishment, all she wanted was to try and make things the way they were.

"Alura, Alura, there you are!" Kinar suddenly shows up from nowhere, now in her human form.

"Kinar not now please." she spoke in between sobs as she tried making her way back to the only place she knew where she could possibly receive help from.

"Wait what…"

"Please I don't want to talk about it." she tried interrupting as politely as it could but it still ended up sounding like she was devastated.

"Alura please…..tell me what happened? I'm your friend." She told her but the draenei did not have none of it as she turned her face away.

She just couldn't handle all of this no more. It was all too much for her to bare or even handle let alone deal with. Her vision was clouded with memories of her life. From her childhood until the happiest moments she had shared with her friends, and Larkon. All of these gone forever, never to be even relieved anymore.

"Alura…?"

"How could he say that to me….." She muttered under her breath.

Kinar narrowed her brow in concern. "Did your father say something bad Alura? If he did, it probably had just slipped from his lips. There is-"

"He really viewed me as that?" She talked to herself again. "Saying that I was playing around with Larkon because I've been closer to him than necessary for him?"

To be honest after hearing that, Kinar didn't know what to say to answer in response. She knew like others that Joven truly loved and cared for his daughter and just wanted to make things right. Yet, she didn't know what would cause him to say such words about them. Obviously it was a slip of some sort because everyone knew Alura better than that. However she could not help but wonder. Everything had changed over the course of this war at the Dark Portal, changing everything to no going back. She knew there was only one person who could give her the comfort and guidance and close friend who she saw as an older sister, the comfort and guidance she needed right now.

"Alura, while you were gone, your mother, Anchorite Averia had came to visit to see you…" Kinar softly mentioned, knowing that Alura's mother would help her friend now.

"She did?" The draenei asked.

"Yes, she stays at the Church of the Holy Light, waiting for your return so she may speak with you. She has missed you very deeply much. She is there now if you wish to go see her." her friend answered truthfully.

"But…..I haven't seen Larkon yet."

"I'm here now." His voice suddenly scooted in. "I was just in the barracks…...had to meet my Captain's spouse and tell her the news…." He said.

Her eyes opened when she saw him just taking a few steps down a small hill in the road. There was no hesitation as she rushed to him and embraced him deeply. Crying her painful sorrows onto his metal plated chestguard.

"Alura?" He mumbled, confused.

She couldn't find words to say to answer. She didn't know what to say or do or why she even brought herself onto him like this. "Just…." was the only word she could say, she had no other words to say for that was all she was able to think or even manage to speak.

"Do you need some help?" He offered. "I've got nothing to do other than look for some inn to stay for with, I can't stay in the barracks no more, and I've got to sell the few things I have left, so that I could pay some." He told her, peeling her from himself.

"I...I don't know...I just...I don't know what to say…" she honestly didn't know what else to say or do. She was just too devastated at this moment and deeply hurt from the words of her own father had accused her with.

"Um, if you need a place to stay why not stay at Thark's inn. I'm sure he could help you out." Kinar offered.

"Thanks, but I've got myself to handle. I don't want you guys giving away free stuff for myself." He said, waving her off. "How are you doing Kinar? It's been months. Seems like you're not so surprised to see me." He lightly chuckled, though it clearly did not harbor any forms of humor in them.

She wanted to say something just anything other then she didn't know. Yet she just couldn;t find the words to say anything other then just only that. It took some time but she found the words to tell him that had troubled her so much. "My, my father came back. He wants me to return to the Exodar, when I refused, he, he accused us of being sleeping in the same bed…" she blurted out shamefully.

Whatever smile or small sense of his own reality just suddenly disappeared. "I….I don't know what to comment about that Alura." He said, before clearly forming a sad frown in his lips as he puts his head down in hidden shame. "If you want we could, stop seeing each other for awhile so that whatever issues you have with your father could be resolved….I guess he, he would just see me as a burden in your life, and perhaps that created the tension between you." He said reluctantly, he clearly did not want to say those words, because for him, Alura is the only friend he could trust on.

"I don't care anymore what he says…" she just spoke in a sudden response, not thinking through what she was saying at this point because she just felt too hurt."Just…...please don't do that Larkon. I want to spend time with you…" She said.

"I know, but I'm sorry I have to for your own sake…" he told her softly before taking his quiet leave to go find somewhere for him to do for his life.

"Larkon…...would you come with me, you said that you'll help me, and I want this request from you." Alura told him.

He stopped in his tracks. "Do you want that? I was thinking of going to the armory to sell my own things, but I'll go if you want." He said.

"Alura, I think we should let Larkon do what he needs to do." Kinar advised.

"But…"

"I'll go if you want me to, at this point it doesn't matter anymore what I do, the decision I leave to you…" he answered showing no emotion to what he wanted to do at this point.

"I…" she struggled to say and then realized that as much as she wanted him to come, perhaps her close friend had a point. What ever Larkon was dealing with, she knew that part of it he had to deal with himself. "You can go Larkon….I might be bothering you." She told him, and with that he walked away, didn't let out a goodbye for them both.

Kinar then looked at her friend with concerned eyes. "Alura…..what happened to Larkon?" She asked, clearly seeing the difference.

"I...I don't know Kinar. By the Light I don't know." Alura answered sounding sad once more as she turned and made her way to the Church of the Holy Light. There she knew the only one who could help her with such a dilemma, would be her own mother.

* * *

He sold the last pieces of his own stormwind armor and his gladiator armor, now left only with his own sword in hand. They were good memories, but he knew he needed the money. Leaving broke in the city clearly was not going to help him. After all, there was no point in trying to succeed now that everything has change.

"Ten pieces of gold? That's it? This armor was for palace guards. Those were expensive." He argued at the dwarf.

"Lad, if you want the greatest sum of moneh you better off on sellin fer me. These blacksmiths around these parts ain't gonna pay ya a dime fer these horrible conditions of these plates. So either ye be acceptin that payment, or you be walkin with these scraps." The dwarf replied that forced him to surrender.

Well, he didn't think he was going to get much from just selling armor pieces. However this was not what he was expecting. Nevertheless, the dwarf placed him in a position where he had no choice at this matter. Taking his ten pieces of gold, he walked out of the blacksmith store without a word.

Slowly he walked aimlessly down the streets. Not caring where he would go or end up, staring at the only ten gold pieces he had to try and make do of. He was at a crossroad, clearly the ten pieces would just fund him for a week or two before being broke to the point that he would be in the streets. Or he could just ask some help from his friends.

"No, I'm not going to do that. I'm just going to be a bother to them If I keep on asking help from them ." He said to himself.

Still, the question now was how was he going to earn more money to survive on, because ten gold pieces were not going to help him survive long. The only thing that came to mind that would earn him fast money was one place. A place he and his fellow guards used to go in patrol at to stop illegal fights going on. However he knew he was no longer a guard and at this point, what else did he have left to lose.

Thinking long and hard he made his decision.


	32. Let's get Ready to Ruuuuumble!

The walk to the Church felt like the longest walk she had ever made in her life. Yet in reality it only took them fifteen minutes to arrive at the Church. Alura felt nervous for some reason, true unlike her father, she had always been close to her mother. Yet it had been years since she last saw her. She doesn't know how she will react after all these years, after being kidnapped, she would now see her again. Her mother was always the type to depend on, always the type to console after some many things that happened.

Alura made her way up the stairs, finally having her hooves step in inside the church again. It wasn't much, nothing has change at all other than a few positions of the church stalls. She looked around, to see her mother counseling a High Elf who was in tears. Alura let them have their moment as the high elf look up at her mother, sighing a thank you before going back to the corridors of the priestesses. Perhaps the High Elf was a new member, or not. She pressed the thought back and approached the maternal figure, slowly treading through the gentle carpet of the church.

There standing before the altar of the church of the Holy Light, she saw her mother, the famous Anchorite Averia of Exodar. She was a well known healer and high priestess of the Holy Light. It was from her knowledge and magic she had saved countless of lives both physically, emotionally, and spiritually. A true figure of a devote follower of the Holy Light that Alura herself wished she was and could be someday.

The Anchorite was standing in a stance in the form of a silent prayer, praying for her loved ones and the loved ones of others to be protected and guided by the Holy Light. Alura did not know how she should proceed. True she had missed her mother very much and needed her wisdom more than anything at this moment. However her nervousness of approaching her as well of fear of possibility disrupting her moment of prayer made the younger draenei priestess that more nervous.

"Alura, why are you so afraid to talk to me, can't you not see that I missed you so much…." Her mother suddenly spoke as she stood up to turn to her. The maternal figure approached her, and hugged her deeply like a mother would do to her child. "I missed you so much Alura. Oh how I wished that I should have gone to Stormwind earlier." She said, before taking a quick peek at the Human Worgen, uttering a silent thanks.

The younger Draenei smiled as she felt tears once again pour from her eyes, this time of pure happiness to be in the presence of her mother. Returning the hug, she spoke. "I've missed you mother…"

The two let each other go after sometime of their embrace as the older Draenei offered a seat to his daughter. "So tell me Alura, I know you are in conflict with many things."

"You're right." she answered her mother, taking a seat next to her on a bench as they both stared up at the altar of the Holy Light.

"So my beloved and beautiful daughter, what troubles you my dear?" Averia asked softly. "After the…..event that you had to disappear for how many weeks because of bad people that took you away had my thoughts full of dark thoughts when I first heard that you were taken…... But now that you are here love, just tell me." She told.

"I-I Can't mother….not when it hurts still…." Alura whimpered.

Her mother removed her veil from her face to show her daughter the soft smile on her lips. "Do you remember the day you became a Priestess of the Holy light here at the Church of Stormwind. You said something similar regarding your father when he did not show. And I was able to help you through that."

Alura smiled, she remembered. Yes it was true neither of her parents were there that day. However unlike her father, her mother was recovering from several serious injuries she had taken during putting herself in harm's way to protect an Orphanage that was being raided by Orcs at the time. So it was very understandable that she would not be there. However the next day, her mother who had personally came on crutches to congratulate and celebrate with her that day. She remembered telling her about how upset she had gotten when her father did not show, and yet through just talking with her, she remembered from her words that she forgave her father, at least for a long moment.

"So my child, as my daughter you can share and tell me everything that has plagued you in such deep emotional pain." Averia spoke as he placed a soft hand on her daughter's hand.

"Ma, If a friend of mine would put his own life…..his own sanity for me ma, would you thank him?" Alura asked, looking at her directly in the eyes with a pleading look, as small trick of tears emerged from the edge her her eyes.

Her mother gave a very soft smile. "Is this the young human who Kinar had described to me as cute and handsome?" she chuckled.

"Mother!" Alura exclaimed her face blushing brightly.

"I am only joking my dear. But from these words you have spoken, I sense you and this human, Larkon I believe his name to be, are deeply close to each other."

"He is ma, he is bent on keeping me happy so much that he forgot his own happiness, I-I don't know what to do because nothing I could do would help him. He is slowly rotting away from me….and I'm scared that, I-I'll lose him." Alura said, stuttering her words.

Her mother thought for a short moment and found an answer. "You say he is bent on keeping you happy am I correct?"

"Correct…"

"Then you must remind him of what does you make you happy. Show him in a gentle way as you did months ago when you have been spending time with each other here in the Church."

"That's the problem ma….just how could he say that to me…." Alura then finally teared up.

"Then please tell me my child, everything that has transpired with him and you since you have been reunited."

She sniffled. "He told me that it doesn't matter for him anymore…...everything…...he said that it is alright for him to die now because nothing is worth living for him anymore." She told her. "He told me that….that, his promise to me will be the only thing that mattered….I don't want that mother, I want my friend back, the one that…"

"You love him don't you?" The Older draenei asked.

"What?" Alura quested her mother once more.

"I know you love him Alura, not only just a friend, but something more…...I could see it in your eyes…" She told her.

"Wait no that's not the…" he tried to speak in her defense but her mother answered.

"Alura if I may, are you satisfied with your life?" She asked. "Are you satisfied with your vows of Chastity and abstinence or are you a prisoner of it? If…..if this man is as deep in the shadows as you have said, then there's nothing else you can do. Your father has been a victim of it, and only I saved him from it because I loved him. I saved him before he was lost forever." She told.

"But...you were a Holy Priest of the Light, didn't you have your vows at one point?"

"Yes but that didn't stop me from loving your father and giving myself to him to have you." Averia spoke as she wiped a tear from her daughter's cheek. "I'm not trying to say that you should just do what I said Alura, what I'm saying is, that if you truly love this person then don't let a recitation from a tradition stop you. He makes you happy and there's nothing else in the world that I would want than your happiness." She told.

"But…" Alura stopped herself, her body trembling once more as she felt it heat up and her heart racing once again for reasons beyond her control and knowledge. "But…..even if I do…...father wouldn't even approve of it. He told me that he could not believe that his own daughter would have a thought to lay her hands on a person like 'him." Alura softly spoke.

Averia still held her soft smile on her face as she looked back at the altar. "Your father worries very dearly for you. To this day he has never forgave himself for all the wrongs he has unintentionally done to you. He feels he deserves no forgiveness of the Light for all those things even though the Light understands his painful sacrifices."

"But then how could he said that to me?! If he really wants me to forgive him then how could say that to me mother?! I could not stop thinking about what he had said to me, because it hurts me so much….." Alura burst.

Her mother frowned but only a little. "Alura even if you don't believe me, you're father is a lot like the friend of yours. He abandoned his own happiness back then so that he could fulfill my own. He was alone because he was just a young and rebellious man back then when people that he held dear left him alone in the world." She said. "He probably wanted you to not experience to be with a person like him back in the days, because he thought he was just a burden to me…."

"Larkon is not a burden to me mother, he...he…"

"Alura, your father I know did not mean those words and said them out of fear and desperation to keep you safe. I do not know the events that have transpired during the time you were held captive. But I know he still feels like a burden to me and you. So please Alura consider for your own father, he had told me numerous of times that it was all his fault and would do everything to regain your trust for him again." She told her daughter.

She nodded her head. "I'll try mother…...but I must meet Larkon first."

"Of course dear, just know whatever choice you make I will still always love you and be proud of you no matter what." Averia told the younger priestess and hugged her softly.

* * *

He walked through the dreaded crowd, somehow it gave him a sense of nostalgia for coming in this kind of place. It has been Light knows how long since last time his deceased captain ordered his own men to raid an illegal underground fighting matches. It seemed hypocritical for Larkon's part to participate in this kind of places. He'd been talking about this in the past among with his friends, talking how weak people are to divert to this place to have some money, the same exact thing he is doing right now.

It brought a smile to his own face, finally feeling the blatant weight of his shoulders. He walked through the crowds and lined himself up to a man who was listing persons who would join in. He approached and put his hands on the table. "Is this where I sign up and join?" He asked.

The man on the wooden desk pointed on his right which a man was measuring up fighters.

"He'll measure your weight and height so that you can vary what division you are in." He said, and with that the once former human gladiator becomes a gladiator again.

The man who measures up fighters lined Larkon against the wall where a meter was painted in. "189 centimeters, alright you go up in this scale and see where you are in." He said and Larkon obliged as he climbed up the scales. "204 pounds…...alright this man is a cruiserweight, we'll have him ready in a moment." The man said gesturing at Larkon to follow a man at the gate further down underground.

Larkon followed the man as gestured to, already he could hear the sounds of crowds cheering from the sounds of bones snapping and bodies beating each other. As much as he hated to admit it, these sounds were giving him an anxious feeling. Not nervous or scared, more like excitement and desire to get in. It is a has been situation for him, fighting got him off to live and fighting would help him live. Living for him doesn't matter that much for him anymore now that there's nothing to live for other than a promise, a promise that he wants to keep and one of the reasons why he would do this for his and her sake.

"Alright man, if you win you get 10 pieces of gold, you lose, you get half that. You only need five minutes, just five minutes man to get it done. If you win I bet many people would want to see you again." He said as he pointed out the winner of the bout raising up his arms. Then he shifted his attention to the announcer in the middle of the underground arena.

Larkon could see that the 'Arena' as only a small circle that is three feet high, high enough to shield the spectators while the circle was only 12 feet long. "Alright new man, the announcer is gonna speak for your bout. Get yourself ready mate, you ain't gonna face gnomes in a flyweight bout, yer gonna face some men yer size for yo. This is the higher weights man, don't be surprised when men bigger than you be facing draeneis their size." He said as he pats Larkon on the back to get in the arena.

The arena announcer was banging a metal pole on to another to gather attention, he had dark brown skin and had a circle patch of hair on the top of his scalp. "Alright listen up folks, you gonna see some new face around here, this gon be cruiserweight bout so we're gonna see some action. Alright I announce you the new man here!" He announce as he pointed to Larkon who was coming in amongst the crowd.

Larkon took his tunic shirt off and rolled thick cloth around his hands and wrists

"And next one, he's going be familiar for you guys, he has been around for longer than you expected, first reason is to why he is here back then was to help his Elven mum." It garnered a laugh from the crowd. "No ya'll I'm serious, he's like me, a human but he's a momma's boy, and now he's a fine husband for a fine girl. So any how, returning after eight looooooong years, I give you my homie!" He said as he pointed out a man, human just like him among the crowd walking towards the arena.

An equally muscular man who stood slightly taller than Larkon appeared and followed up from the crowd. Possibility standing at 6'4, the man had short auburn hair, a strong face with a small scar on the bridge of his nose, and a big gash on the side of his stomach. He looks at his opponent as they both centered in the ring, facing off. Like Larkon he too was shirtless and had thick wrapps wrapped around his hands and wrists.

The slightly shorter human was not intimidated at all. If anything he just pops the muscles in his neck as well as his thick strong muscles. Getting ready to start the fight as he got into a bare knuckle boxing stance.

"Alright guys, touch knuckles, a lot of people are betting in so do good." Then the announcer suddenly realized something when he looked at the former gladiator's features. "Youw homies, I knew this guy man, he was once busting us up back in the days!"

Larkon chuckled. "Does that bother you now that I'm joining in? I need some quick money for me, I don't work on the towns no more now that we got screwed." He said.

The announcer smiled. "Alright man, just get in both ends." He said and the fighters separates, waiting at the both ends. "Alright man, brawl! Five minutes of entertainment!" He shouted.

Both fighters circled around each other, looking for a possible opening or mistake the other could make. As Larkon scanned his opponent, he could not shake the thought that he looked familiar. Like he had seen or heard of a man who fits the description. Either way he could care less who or what this man was, he needed the money.

The smaller fighter took a stance, his right leading in while his left hand was behind the right hand, turning into a southpaw stance where his dominant hand would be leading in as a jab. Larkon wants to be the one retaliating instead of initiating exchanges.

He then ducks below when the naturally larger man threw a straight right hand in his direction, before following up with a left uppercut which barely grazes him. With this Larkon suddenly sprung up and counters with a straight left to the body, followed by an uppercut that missed, but he made up for it by swinging his left feet to the side of the opponent's body.

However to his surprise, the opponent caught his leg and sweeps his remaining nimble feet that made Larkon fall flat on his back.

Lakron quickly made adjustments, using his free feet to kick the body of the bigger and stronger man which forced him to let go and re adjust. He got up and charged, spearing himself in towards the man which he hits man's stomach with his shoulder, but was now in a horrendous situation when the opponent stopped him from toppling him over and began pounding on his back with his elbows.

Ignoring the pain on his back, he scooped down a little lower to grab his opponent by the legs. Using his strength to pick his opponent up and body slam him on the floor. Now on top, Larkon proceeded to brutally punch his opponent in the face. It did not last long as he felt a powerful punch to his jaw, knocking him off of his opponent and to the ground.

"Damn it….." The opponent muttered as he stood up. "She's not going to like it when she finds out I'm doing this again…." He said as he runs up to Larkon and delivers a swift kick, only to be countered by the smaller man sweeping up his feet that balanced him to fall flat on his back again.

Larkon didn't follow up as he stood there waiting for him, he was still in his southpaw stance in a boxing form. He remembered back then when Jorden brought him up here to see some action despite an officer of the law himself. He remembered a renowned underground fighter here, they called him 'The Packman,' because how his punches make quite a pack against his opponent.

Larkon finally moves as the man stood up again, this time intending to fight him using his fists only, probably following him on. The man was in an orthodox position, his lead hand was his left while his right was behind the lead. He walked him down and baits a jab that ultimately got him at the end of his opponent's fist when Larkon suddenly retaliated with a counter left hand.

"Oh man! Youw homie what up with ya'll I got bets on you man!" The announcer complained amongst the crowd to why his friend was suddenly began to be beaten. "I'm gonna tell youw elven wife man if ya got beat!"

"Shit…" Larkon heard his opponent cursed underneath his breath. Yet it served to distract the former stormwind guard long enough for his opponent to go in for a simple jab.

Though Larkon was able to block the jab, he was unprepared to block or even dodge the powerful stomp to his ankle. The strike being so powerful, Larkon could've swore he felt his ankle bone shattering.

The bigger man followed it up by cutting the eyebrow of Larkon when he attacked with an elbow. Larkon went down against the floor, and rolls back to stop him from mounting up. With his quick reflexes Larkon stands up immediately and caught the man coming in with an elbow on his cheek. He could just hear the cracks when the dense bone made contact on the softer vertebrate, which caused him to fall down.

"Oh shit!" The announcer just shouted in the thick frays. "Yow home boys, get youw ass out of here, the Town M's are here man." He announced and ran up to the exit.

The two fighters mind was still foggy as the bigger man stood up, realizing that the crowd was on a stampede towards the exit doors above.

"Oh no….." Larkon said towards a door at the back that came bursting through with town militias.

* * *

Alura headed back to the old barracks where she had hope to find Larkon still there. Yet when she found that he wasn't she tried looking all around the city for him. She had been searching for she would guess three or four hours now, she didn't know but she already knew it was getting dark now and she needed to head back to the church soon. Yet she did not want to leave Larkon to himself, she just couldn't. As distrusting it is for her to think about it, she knew that whatever turmoil Larkon is in would lead him to do distasteful things.

She predicted that he was in the barracks when he finished selling his own properties, if you could consider armor properties. He was broke, and would probably be looking for another jobs for him to have. Yet she just can't help and think why could he just not want to ask for help from his friends, from her. Did he thought that he would be bothering her? Smothering her with his own problems. Of course not. After what he did for her, he fought his way to find her and release her from her prison, yet he thinks that she should just leave him be for thinking of himself as a burden.

Whatever battle did he fought, whatever demon did he encountered to make him act like this, she was determined to help him get away from it. She's her friend…...or perhaps something more.

She jumped when she felt a steel clad hand gently tap her shoulder. So much she felt like screaming, after what she went through she had become jumpy and more anxiety consumed in some ways. By instinct she wanted to run away, yet all fear came to an end when she found it was just a familiar stormwind guard.

"Durel, don't do that!" she almost snapped at the young soldier, she didn't mean to but she in her own way was still haunted by the events from weeks ago.

"Wait…...Alura, what are you doing here? After Thark told me that you came back, I was expecting for you to be at the church to recover…" He told.

"I'm just looking for Larkon have you seen him anywhere, he came back with me and I've been looking for him all day." she answered trying to calm herself down from the heart attack she felt she was about to have just a moment ago.

"Alura, well. I was looking for the dwarf when first saw him. I thought he was dead….I mean, I hadn't heard of him for six months, when all suddenly….well he got arrested." He told her.

Her head shot up to look at him in complete shock and confusion. "What?!"

"We found him in one of the illegal underground fight clubs, we have been cracking those kind of activities recently and I was in a surprised when we found him. He didn't resist, he didn't talk, he just surrendered and didn't even acknowledge me." He told her.

Durel was even more surprised when he sees her almost immediately start panicking. "Please take me to him!"

* * *

Honestly, he kind of felt that he belong here in a cell. To him, the events from weeks maybe months ago changed him. He no longer saw himself as a human being or one worth living anymore. If anything, his act to want to find quick money even going as far to participate in something he once raided in, shows the kind of man he had now became.

Now he just sat here next to the very man he was just fighting right now, with his broken ankle and heavily bruised body giving him trouble. Most of the injuries he had suffered didn't bother him but his ankle was the one that was giving him the most trouble. He looked back at the man who he had fought moments ago. More concerned for how he planned on hiding his broken jaw from his elven wife then it's actual condition.

"I am so screwed, bit of advice, if you ever marry a woman, be sure to set the grounds of stuff you like doing before accepting agreements." the man spoke despite his jaw heavily damaged.

The announcer was just at the edge of the exit, as if was waiting for someone. Then he suddenly turned and smiled. "Oh hey Ellie girl, we screwed up, but you gotta cut me and him some slack girl. He and I friends for eight years back when he was still his momma's poster boy because he don't have nothing." He said to someone unknown, because they can't see who they were talking to.

A Soft yet angry voice then replied. "Cut it out Pernell, how many times has he been arrested this year?! Three times?! I would tattle tale back to your wife and get you in trouble." The voice entered, the prison halls to reveal herself as a high elf.

Larkon looked at her, somewhat skeptical whether she is a high elf or not, by the looks of her green eyes, and her white flowing hair that ranged all the way down to her back. Blood Elf could be a possible indicator for her. Regardless he watched her approach, paying some pieces of gold to the guards as a bail.

"I can explain Elli-" He tried.

The elf interrupted. "Just don't….just don't alright love? I get it, you can't let go of your hobby to be with your friends in a saturday noon in the fighting…..uhhhh! Don't expect me to heal your wounds all a sudden because I'm going to make sure you get punished for what you have been doing this time." She threatened though it harbored no anger.

The human smiled as he stood up, limping just as the guards opened the gates.

The elf looked at Larkon. "Thank you for beating him up for me, he needed some clear beat down." She told him. "Uhhhuh come on love, the kids are already waiting for you back home, along with Tresia and your cousins." She told him as they began to leave.

"I'm still quite the knucklehead that gets into your nerves am I right?" He asked her.

She rolled her eyes. "I remember why I hated you so much back when we were trapped in the Black Temple." She said,

"Ooooooooh alright little elf." He teased.

"Oh shut up Celvic." She silenced him as she looked at the man named Pernell. "Oh hey, Whitaker. Would your wife and kids join dinner later in our house?" She asked.

"Naa Ellie girl, I'm good, I'm handling my own, with my pops and my mum be visiting us. You two go ahead of me. And take care of the momma's boy girl." He said as he waved their goodbyes to them. Then approaching Larkon at the cell, throwing a small pouch which contained fifteen pieces of gold. "That's for the winnings new school, gotta say, you get my respect for beating the big man." He said as he walked away.

Larkon didn't look at him yet he softly accepted the gold and watched the elven woman drag her husband and his friend away. When they were gone he looked into the bag to count the pieces. That should help him for another week he guessed, though he's not sure yet. Almost on cue he saw Durel return and open the cell door.

"Okay Larkon, you're free to go."

He sat there for another minute confused on why Durel would suddenly let him go. That was until he saw a familiar Draenei Priestess enter the room, a look of worry clearly present on her face.

"Shit…" he cursed softly to himself.

Before Alura could ask what had happened, she already gasped to see what a bloody bruised mess he was, especially his ankle which was terribly swollen from it being broken to she couldn't tell how badly. Larkon spoke first before she could ask.

"I know what you're thinking but no, I'm okay…" he told her in a grunt like fashion.

She approached him, her eyes were full of concern as her hands were all over his face, looking at it, inspecting for the worse. "Larkon, what happened? What did you do?" She asked softly.

He gently grabbed both of her wrists and put them at her sides. "I was just getting some money Alura, and I'm fine, there's nothing for you to worry about." He falsely assured, and the draenei didn't acknowledged it one bit.

"Your leg and all these injuries beg to differ. Larkon...I...what...I just…" she tried finding words.

"Look I'm fine, I've been through worse remember…" he tried explaining to her. "And besides you didn't need to waste your money paying for my release. In way I kind of belong in here."

"Then why would yourself be in this situations? Are you so afraid of help? Are you ashamed of yourself just to ask help from us?" She questioned, yet she didn't expect an answer. Alura could see it all over the expression of her friend that was deeply inside a barrier of dark and unknown thoughts. "You've always helped me Larkon, why would you not allow me to help you?"

"How could a mongrel like you be with a maiden like her…."

The sentence flashed in his thoughts. "I…...I-I don't know Alura….I don't know." He muttered.

At this point she didn't care for an answer. Instead she wrapped his left arm on her shoulder and tried helping him walk out of the prison cell. "Well at least let me help you a little, and don't give me any lip."

He didn't say anything regarding why but he did ask. "May I ask where you plan to take me?"

"At least outside so I can have more room to treat your injuries."

He looked over to Durel suddenly. "How's the wife Durel?" He asked, smiling at him with nostalgia.

"Doing good man….just, get yourself healed alright? I'm going to try to enlist you back in the town militia so that you can have some sustenance here." Durel replied as he watched them walk away.

Alura finally arrived outside with him still lining on her for support. It was quite the struggle she would confess as he was much heavy to her because of their difference in size.

"We will be going to Thark's for a moment. I'll ask him to let you stay in there for the day so that I can treat your injuries while Thark's household would be assurance that you're safe." She said to him, and just then she could see that he was about to open his mouth to protest. "Please Larkon, don't say a word. Please…...do this, for me….." She told him as she looked at his eyes deeply, locking her glowing blue eyes against his now dull hazel green eyes.

For a moment he just wanted to just tell her that would not be such a wise idea. At least that's how he would see it. However what stopped him was the look of her beautiful glowing blue eyes. The way that they just shined with such a color it was without a doubt a thing of beauty to him. He did not know why or what about them made him think of such ways. Yet the words of the blood elf still haunted him as he remembered why he was unworthy of such a pure being such as her. Yet the beauty of her eyes was what stopped him from speaking of words he wanted to say and allowed him to carry on with her request.

"Alright Alura, I'll do as you say. But where to, because I'm starting to forget the routes around these parts." He informed.

She took his hand into her's. It felt like an odd contradiction to him, the feeling of her soft and gentle hand to his rough and battle harden one. It has been how long since she last held his hands? Months? She briefly remembered the day when he told her about him leaving, and instead of comforting him, he comforted her. She wanted the feeling back then to last.

She looked at his hands for a brief moment before looking up to him. "Allow me to show you then." she smiled softly to him, he could've swore that it was the smile of an angel to him him.

Standing up, he allowed her to hold his hand as she guided him down the long streets of the city to the familiar Inn of the veteran Dwarf.

Thark was cleaning up his tables, just about to close when the door kicks, revealing Alura and Larkon.

"What tha, Lass is that, by the Light what happen to ye Lad ye look like ye had yer arse handed to ye."

"Thark, just please help Larkon out, give him a room for today because he needed it so that I could treat his injuries." She told him.

The dwarf gestured at the stairs and gives a key to her. "Aye lass free of charge, it be up there in the second floor." He told. "The inn is empty fer today."

Alura nodded and noticed a panda which revealed to be Quon as he just entered. "Aye, ooooh Draenei! I'm so glad that finally came! When the dwarf returned and told me about you and your companion I felt so fine, finer than the finest ale I have ever drank in the finest mug from the finest oak." Quon commented out loud.

"What the hell?" escaped Larkon's lips to see the Pandaren. He rarely saw Pandarens but who the heck was this monk and how did he know Alura.

Alura didn't bother to explain for him and only responded with a smile at the panda before moving up stairs along with Larkon. She made him follow at the middle of the corridors before finally settling in, matching the number of the key to the number of the room. The room was medium size, with only one bed on the middle of it, but was big enough to fit two persons on it, with some dwarven decorations surrounding the walls and with a small desk at the side with a cabinet on the other side while finally a door leading to a comfort room. At least it was fine enough.

"Rest here Larkon." She said to him, gesturing at the bed while gently helping him out to lay his body on the soft cushion.

She scanned his body, trying to make out what injuries he had suffered. Her spells can only heal open wounds, but would never heal broken bones. She doesn't know whether or not he had suffered broken bones.

His linen shirt as on the way to determine the injuries of his abdomen, and softly requests him to take it off. To which he nodded and obliged to her requests. Alura didn't feel the same heat of blush on her cheeks since she last saw him bare chested. Right now all she has on her mind was concern for his well being as her hands hovered over his body, asking him whether it hurts or not or whether he feels if it's broken or not, she scanned all the way down till her hands met his ankles.

"It hurts, Alura." He told her.

She looked up to him and tells her knowledge. "I know, I was just looking up to the other parts of your body. You have a broken cheekbone and a broken ankle…" She told her sadly as she tried to nurse his ankle with her hands.

"I've suffered worse, to me, this is a mere flesh wound in compared to all of my other injuries in the past." He dismissed her concerns.

"But broken bones needs to be healed Larkon, you won't benefit with your bones broken. They hurt and they-" She was cut off when Lakron chimed in between her sentences.

"They help. Broken bones heal stronger….Then mine is very strong." He said.

Her heart broke from what he said. She was not sure how to respond to that, as it left her deeply sadden and somewhat a little angry with him.

"Because this isn't the first time they've been broken to fragments, I'm used to it so I don't need them to be fixed all of a sudden…" he bluntly told her.

Alura bended her head down, her eyes no longer be able to be seen from Larkon's angle. He could feel her soft hand clutching his as she sniffles, till he finally see a trick of her tears falling off from the edge of her lids. "Larkon…...I know that…...you're used to it, but just please, do not be used to feeling the brunt of it all. Please practice what you preached me back in Elwynn forest, to live your life." She asked him as she finally had the courage to look at him in the eyes. "I don't want you to suffer while I the person that you made happy would live in luxury surrounded with friends and family. Just please Larkon, please live your life please…..live it...with me." She begged him, clutching his hands with hers.

He couldn't answer for what she had told him. If he really keeps on letting her beg for him to be with her then he would actually be a burden for her because he is holding her back because of him. He can't lie to her, or keep on assuring her that he is okay, or that he is fine, because he knows that he is not.

He looked at her, still having the will to not let a single trick of tears escape from his eyes. "Alura….I…..forgive me Alura." He said, to her as he stopped her from opening her mouth to ask why. "I fought because….I was afraid that I was taking from you. People told me that…..I don't deserve your help and I Would just be better off dying than to be your friend…...and I began to believe them because….."

What?" she asked, now completely shocked at these words. How could he ever believe such words. It enraged her and she wasn't sure if it was aimed towards Larkon for believing such terrible lies or towards the people that filled his mind with such horrible things. "Why would you ever believe suh horrible words?!" she almost demanded to know.

"You know about the promise I took that I would not leave your side. I don't want to but I don't want to think that I'm just taking from you. I did it so that people wouldn't talk bad behind your back because of me." he simply spoke with hardly any emotion to his answer.

She took his hand and rubbed it against her cheek. "Larkon, you will never be someone who I would not cherish. Their words do not matter to me." She then kissed his hand softly. "If I were not….." She really wanted to tell him. His truths and answers told her that he is a man that she can trust. A man that would be with her to the ends of it. He's not only a friend for her anymore, she loved him far beyond that.

"If you were not Alura?" He asked.

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter Larkon."

The two were silent but only for a small moment as they heard the sound of a wet quill pin being used to write on paper. Turning their attention to the desk, they saw the Pandaren Monk. He was just sitting at the chair facing towards them as he was writing something into his small journal. He chuckled softly to himself as he finished what he was writing and turned his attention back to the two.

"The perfect inspiration for the greatest story yet." he spoke with a friendly smirk. "Sorry for butting in children, but worry not I did not hear what you have spoke for each other I had just arrived." He said then turning to Alura. "If I may child, would you not mind that I would ask him to release his own words for me to write? It would be something as Lorewalker I could just not pass up." Quon asked.

Alura turned to Larkon. "Its his decision to make, not mine Lorewalker."

Quon turned to him. "Then I'll ask him and I will ask in advance to you if you allow us to have some privacy. It is a walker's duty that their stories will only be between them." Quon said.

Larkon nodded. "Alright….I'll bite." He said as Alura knows the signal to walk away.


	33. Some Plans and Some Rest

**Just a little bit fluff in the chapter, nothing much significant, but anyhow. Keep on the reviews guys XD God Bless!**

* * *

The man in white just got up from bed, another day of looming in for him when tonight was a sweet bliss. He looked back to see the beautiful woman in his king sized bed. It is easy for her to be on his mantle, pleasuring him when her husband's life is on the line, threatened with a blade to cut off his head. He smiled at the thought. She surely loved her husband enough to peel her dignity away in exchange for his own life.

"My husband…..you will stick to your promise will you….that you would free him?" The woman asked, but it was more of a plead. He could easily tricked her without giving anything in exchange, because what can this woman do?

Moira then went over to his desk. His hands grabbed a quill and dipped on a jar of ink to sign a paper. "Yeah, your husband goes free. Like I promised…" He said as he give the paper to the beautiful woman. "My offer still stands woman….a woman like your caliber should be in my bed and rightfully so…" He told her.

She grabbed the paper and nodded her head as she covered her breasts, unable to look him in the eyes. "I...cannot. My heart is with my husband…..and he is more than enough….." She replied softly.

As much as he felt insulted by her words, he still gave her the paper and motioned for her to leave his sight. She grabbed her clothes and walked away, all the while showing pure disgust to his presence. As she left, a loyal lieutenant appeared, carrying with his a message written in paper.

"General Moira sir..." the lieutenant saluted.

"What? If King Varian wants a report on the Black Gate tell him I'm...occupied…"

"Um sir, this isn't about Varian sir…"

"Then what is it?"

"It's just the daily report that you requested to see sir."

With a loud groan, he rudely yanked the piece of paper from his loyal lieutenant and opened the message. A lists of names in prison and that was released, damage costs, barracks costs and civil rights and merchants report. Which is all that Moira had to file in these past couple weeks since he returned to Stormwind from the war.

Moira scanned the reports, seemingly interested, but surely enough it was only a bother for him. His eyes finally went over to the prison names that was released and was still currently in prison, it did not bother him nor did he have any interest in looking in further until finally his eyes was locked in a particular name.

"Larkon…." Moira said as he narrowed his brow. The name hold a particular familiarity to him, and that it seems that Jorden mentioned him before when they had one meeting.

Moira smiled at the mention of the captain's name. How much he hated that man for speaking against him, he was glad that he was dead somewhere in a ditch that none could recover. Moira then decided to find out whether this man has any affiliation. If indeed he is, the last time he heard the name Larkon from Jorden's mouth is that when Jorden mentioned the daughter of Joven. If he spoke both of their names in the same sentence and particularly that sentence was when Jorden boasted how he instead would have her instead of him, and that proved to anger him to the point that he wanted him dead.

"Hmm…...Lieutenant, would you look at Jorden's file on his squadron, and find a name Larkon." He ordered.

"Yes sir." he saw his lieutenant salute and rush off to complete the order.

As Moira sat down to pour himself a fresh cup of Stormwind's finest wine he thought to himself. The area he had ordered Jorden's squad too in reality wasn't of an importance to him in his strategy. He knew better than anyone that place was a lost ground, any squad sent there was guaranteed to die from those savage Horde tribes or clans or whatever they were called. He could care less one way or the other.

"The file you requested sir." his lieutenant returned with the papers he had asked for.

Moira grabbed the paper, finally looking at the paper, and in result it made his eyes narrow in anger. The man was still alive, he was adamant that he was dead. He checked the remaining survivors on Jorden's men, and none of them bear the name that was on the paper. Oh how he hated Jorden and his prodigy, the one that embarrassed him back when the nobles were in the Palace of Stormwind. The incident that ruined the library of the Prince also ruined his reputation. Especially the man's nerves to ever approach the draenei priestess that he fancied. He clenched his teeth, and exploded in anger that he banged his his fists on the desk. However then he calmed down, pondering his thoughts till an idea came.

"Soldier, the war hasn't end yet right? Just controlled but it still did not end?" The ambitious General asked.

"Yes sir."

"Soldiers should still be in their squadrons am I correct?" He received a nod from the soldier. "File a desertion case for this man, I want him in the prison cells again by the end of this week." Moira ordered.

* * *

There back at the first floor, Thark sat there just drinking a mug of ale quietly to himself. Staring at nothing particular on the table. He saw Alura come down, but not the Lorewalker monk. His guest was he was probably speaking with the young lad about his story and such. The Lorewalker has been asking the customers since he reopened the restaurant that morning. It has been a good day for him, with her being safe. He already informed the others, the human captain that assisted them, old Finan that was very pleased when he heard their return, and with the who Night Elf decided to stay in his inn and work with him until she had more important things to do. It is his guess that she doesn't have anything back in her home place.

He snapped his thoughts and went back to reality when Alura sat down with him.

Alura helped herself to a cup of water and sat down across in front of the dwarf. "Thank you Thark, you have no idea how much this means to me and Larkon." she told, sounding happy once more.

"Aye it's not special lass, he's yer friend ya know? He be welcome here after putting his life fer ya back in that vale. I can't imagine truly lass on how much I owe that lad in saving ya you know? It is more than a small inn that me old beard could provide fer him." He told her.

She smiled at him. "Yes, I owed him so much…..that I-" She choked, unable to speak her mind.

The dwarf narrowed his brows in concern. "You okay lass?" He asked.

She looked at him and told her thoughts."It's just-that I'm so happy to be with him. And that I could never repay him for what he did for me. I'm-I'm just starting to wonder if…...he would think of me more than a friend….." She finally admitted.

He raised his brow. "Well? Why don't ya say something to him lass." He then chuckled as he speak. "You do know a man would be very much dancing on his toes inside his boots if a lass as beautiful as ye would admit to him." Thark exclaimed.

Alura also raised his brow. "What? I thought you don't like the idea of me-"

The dwarf intercepted. "Look lass, a man can change his mind, and an old man like me self would like ye to be happy. I trust him and respect him because of what he did fer ye. And if that makes ye happy on being with him then I can't stop ye lass, because it is yer own decision." He told her just as he held her hand. "I want ye to be happy lass."

Alura smiled. "Thanks for your blessing Thark. You are like a father to me. It's just that…...despite this, I'm so afraid of him…..I'm so afraid to let him be….because deep in my thoughts inside of me tells me that I would lose him….."

"Why would ye loose him lass?" He asked.

"He is adamant on keeping the things that is plaguing him inside of himself. He doesn't want to tell me because he is so afraid of something, he thinks that he did something that so horrible that he could not tell, and that he thinks that….."

"He wants to fight his own demons alone aye lass?" The dwarf cuts in.

"How did you guess?" she asked.

He sat there for a moment, not sure if or how he should answer that. Yet when he thinks of the lad, and how much he meant to her, he knew he needed to tell her. "Lass, mind if share with ye on something I've never told anyone. Not even Kinar or ye until now?"

"What is it?"

The old dwarf sat back at his seat. Taking in some deep breaths through his nostrils as he answered. "I had a family once, wife and son. Once though…"

Alura sat calmly down and listened in. "I didn't know…"

"Because I took great measures to insure I not hint any of it lass. Because it be my fault what happened to them…"

Alura remained silent, not sure how to respond to that, but she listened in none the less.

"Aye, me lad I trained and taught everything I knew, his mother, ha lass, she be a force to be wreckin with. On the day I retired, well, despite me wishes, me lad joined the guard. Now me and the lad, him and his mother was the world to me, but I was always so. Well, let's just say we all didn't see eye to eye. So I loss me temper when I found out he joined the guard. And yeah, the apple didn't fall far from the tree with him because he had me temper. WHich, was not such a good thing because we both said some things to each other and...they were words no father and son should ever say. Then…" he hesitated for a moment.

"Go on…"

"Aye that would be when me wife passed but...she didn't stay dead. She be at Lordaeron during the time the Scourge had corrupted their food supply and...she be unfortunate to fall victim to that lad Arthas when he was forced to… Me son never forgave the young prince. But then it went from worse to hell. On the day I retired, me lad as I said joined the guard, his mind of thinking be to get back at Arthas. Yet when he left with the army. You would never believe who be the one who came back. That's right it be that bastard general Moira who be the only one to return."

"Moira?"

"Aye lass, Moira thought he was all that, that he could take on Arthas himself with the army. A mistake that be, so me, being concerned for me lad's well being. Jumped out of retirement and signed up to help in the attack on the Icecrown in Northrend. Yet when I got there, I found me boy...thing was…" the old dwarf's wrinkled eyes became moist as large tears began to drip down from his old cheek. "He not be me boy anymore…"

Alura gasped at the realization to this, the sound of his words only meant one thing.

"The last time I spoke to me boy was when we had both lost our tempers, and I said he be better off dead in a unmarked grave, and he told me I be better off living the rest of me life with no one…"

"Thark...I…"

"When I gave me lad the death he deserved, I tried bringing him home to bury him along side his mother. But then that bastard, the very one who be responsible for me son's fate, had the body taken from me and burned. Never letting me give me son the burial he honorably deserved… Because of some bullshit of anything tainted by the plague should be burned until there was nothing left..."

Alura looked at him with her blue eyes, wanting to tell him, tell him her condolences or anything. Instead, she softly took his hand and brought it to her cheeks. "Thark….I….."

The dwarf smiled despite all the flashing memories of his past. "Aye it's alright lass. I got passed it, I'd just told ye this because…..well, the lad is going through the same thing. I got passed it lass because there be friends that helped me smile and laugh again…...and…..there's you lass that did me beard. It be selfish of me to not help the lad." He told her as he moved to hug her.

She returned the hug, she never knew he held such deep emotional pain. Yet she was all that happy to share this with her, knowing that despite all this, he was able to move past all of it and learn to forgive himself.

It was around that time they heard the Monk make his way downstairs. Curiously, she rushed over to the former Shado-Pan Blackguard to hear what information he had discovered from Larkon.

"So, how did it go?"

The Panda looked at the draenei, seemingly disheartened. He sighed and answered. "I do know now that the man is stronger than I thought. I've heard the same thing in a man once. But aye even with a good ale to drink up the troubles, it is really one of those things that a single person cannot overcome…" He indicated.

She felt a hard weight on her heart from those words, Her guess was right, something she wished and pray wasn't. If whatever happened to larkon was enough to seem disheartened, then she knew it was a tragedy as horrible as the story Thark shared with her. She looked at the panda who was now sitting down in a stool at the dwarf's counter, drinking down some good beverages that all pandas love. Her mind though was still set to what the panda had said.

"Is it okay if I could talk to him now?" Alura asked.

"Aye child he is all yours." The panda replied.

Alura nodded and goes up the stairs just as the door opened for Kinar and Fylrae to enter.

As she made her way upstair, each step felt heavy to her for some reason. If her fears were true then she knew Larkon may end up doing something terrible without her. She knew he would do something like the illegal fight club thing again, or maybe worse. There was a limit on how many times an individual could be bailed out from prison. Of course she would bail him out anytime but she knew that's just not how it works.

She arrived at the door that lead to his room. Hesitant at first since she was not sure how she would approach this situation. Nevertheless, she softly knocked on the door until she heard him approve of him entering.

There she saw him hard at work in a workout session. He hung upside down, his legs wrapped around a bar, as he let the rest of his body hang. Weights were wrapped around his arms. Continually doing painful sit-ups back and forth with his hands behind his, with each sit up he did two elbow strikes at nothing particular but the air. The muscles of his chest, and even his arms and legs strain to lift the rest of his body up each time. He would painfully pushed forward and continued to do as many painful sit ups as he can.

He stopped just as she closed the door. "Oh Hey Alura….." He greeted, he seemed happy to an extent.

The Draenei blushed. It is perhaps the first time she felt a tug of physical attraction, or even in the sense of physical need because of the way she combed her hair above her ear as her tongue lick the end of her lips, and especially when she felt something heat up inside of her own body. She was aware of it, that she was beginning to be attracted to him, her friend that saved her life and her friend that had comforted her despite the one needing the comfort. Now not only was she attracted to his own personality, but to his own self as it is, his physical temple that left her look like foolish young school girl with a crush.

She had to push the thoughts down to remain her focus. She inhaled the air deeply and exhaled."Larkon? What are you doing? Please, just rest on the bed, heal it out because you need the rest." She requested, gesturing at the bed as she sat down at the edge of the bed.

He nodded as he gently removed himself and dry himself up before wearing his clothes once more and removing the weights from his arms. "I'm Sorry Alura, I've been doing this awhile, everytime I wake up on a comforting cushion, I would have to stress myself out to not get used to it. It was Captain Jorden that taught me that. He said that I must be in shape so that I would not get lazy. It's unnecessary I know, but it is just nice to keep it that way for his memory…" He excused, despite the months that had passed by that he was no longer a soldier under his captain's banner. He still acted like he was one, he still couldn't let it go.

"I understand Larkon, but I worry for your health. You're my friend, and I want you to be healthy." She told as she watched him sit down at the other edge of the bed. "You know, it is quite a nice day to let the body rest….."

The former soldier smiled, remembering the moment when he met the woman that imprisoned his captain from the concept of moving on from a person. "'Day' yeah it is quite nice. And I haven't told you yet though I forgot Alura. That…..I met my Captain's wife….." He told.

"Wife? I did not know Captain Jorden was married…" she confessed.

"Not only that but the two have a kid. Well at least that's what they've both told me. I haven't seen her just yet. She's a girl." he answered with a sigh. "My captain kept on telling me that he was a knack for marrying outside his own race, and in the end his wife was a High Elf." He told happily then his tone turned to sadness. "Though….it's sad that he never got to see her again. His wife was adamant not to remarry despite having a long life, because Jorden was also faithful to her in the end….I just wonder where would Jorden be had they not separate….." He wondered.

She felt sad to hear that, it meant that not only was his wife now a widow, but her child would now grow up without a father in it's life. A terrible situation she was familiar with as she knew quite a number of people from the Church who grew up without their father.

"Larkon….."

"Yeah…." he spoke, not really interested to carry on the conversation about his captain or his family.

"I...um….sorry about Jorden, Larkon….."

"Don't be, it's expected when you work in the kind of work we used to do. He wanted me to get out of it and retire as a farmer. A farmer Alura of all things. Just where in all of the Light's green goodness am I supposed to do that when they get the ass end of the society of today. I'm better off going down like he did…." he bluntly spoke.

She clenched her hands and curls it to form a fist. She was afraid that he would say that again. "Larkon…..if…..what if you would…..start all over again? You know…..like in the end, to have a wife by your side and a child inside her. Wouldn't that make you happy?" She reluctantly advised, not trying to reveal anything to him.

That actually got him laughing in a fake laugh. "Me? With a wife and kid? Alura look at me, does it look like I have a future that's going to be like that?" He bluntly said as a fact. "I mean, I don't have anything to be proud off Alura that could even make a girl smile at my direction. My face is all scarred, my hands are scarred from burns, I have a shady past, I don't have a house or a job to sustain me on anything. I'll be lucky to find one, but that is beyond the point I'm making. What I'm pointing out Alura is that, that is more than enough reasons why that I would never have that life no matter how hard I pray for that sense of living….." He pointed out, and for him it hurt him to say that, because he would never have that life now.

"But…" she was speechless, what could she say or do to convince him otherwise. She actually somewhat wished her mother was here to talk to him. She would be able to convince him. Then she remembered the story her mother told her regarding her father, and figured that was probably the best thing she could think of at this moment. "My...father was just like that...back before he became the Vindicator Joven everyone knows him today to be." She began before adding on. "He was just like you Larkon…..who thought that there was no hope for him…..but then, some appeared you know? That turned his own point of view around that made him stronger, wanting to do more, and then...in the end I came at the end of it." She ended.

Despite what she said he remained unconvinced. "Your mother did because she did Alura, she broke her vows as a priestess and had you, but your mother is your mother, that is not anyone else. I'm even lucky that a person as beautiful as you could have a friend like me…...I would not have a happy turn of my life like your father." He pointed out.

"That is not true!" Alura countered.

"Then what is true Alura?" He asked seriously.

'That I love you'…..She wanted to tell him that. She can't deny what she felt.

He watched her movements, he saw that she was struggling to find an answer to his question. It was just as he thought, her father may have been like him at one point but he was not going to have the happy outcome that turned her father's life around. "Just as I thought…"

"Mark my words Larkon….this is a promise I could make is that you will have that life despite what you say…." She spoke softly. "There is….."

He remained silent, he knew different but there was nothing he knew could say that would convince her of his fate. It isn't much for him, though he appreciated her support. That she remained vigilant for his own well being and for how their future goes. He looked at her in the eyes and smiled at her, thanking her at least that she had her mind be positive for his own future even when Larkon knew his future was already set for him when he was born. A nobody in the end.

"Larkon, I am here for you. If you want a voice to soothe you, I am always here..." she spoke softly to him, and it made him turn his head fully to her direction. She had caught his attention as she leaned so that her hand could reach his face. He retracted for a moment, but he calmed his mind and let her be. She used whatever power she has to make her hands glow, and in result he felt the beautiful warmth of her hand.

Her heart beat faster as her other hand reached on to her chin. Now she has locked him in her hands as she used whatever spells she has under her to soothe him. She noticed now that his face is soft...scarred but soft, gentle as it is the way he stared at her in wonder. She leaned in, unable to resist the feeling deep inside of herself. "You know….you have a soft skin…and you have beautiful eyes..." She doesn't know why she is feeling warm right now inside, her face was just mere inches from his as her eyes deeply stared against his own. Him, the orphan who became a man, and the man that made her smile….and man that stirred her heart like nobody else. She licked her dry lips just as she leaned in even more….she made her decision now as her lips was about to touch hi-

A Knock on the door ended it all before it could be complete. She quickly let go of his face and retracted back as far as she could. A heavy blush forming on her face similar to his face which was as red as her's was blue. Like her he had no idea what he was doing or why he wanted to lean so close to her and touch her lips with his. He didn't know why yet he could still ask for himself why did he try to approach her as he did. Still the two were glad they had retracted back from away from one another. Just in time to see the Worgen druid and Night Elven Huntress enter.

"Ooooh Hi Alura, Hi Larkon!" Kinar jumped in and hugged the human warrior. "Uhhhuuuhuhuhuhuh I missed you two sooooo much." She cried as she pulled Alura closer. "I want everything back to the things in the past!"

The Night Elf smiled. The human worgen girl reminded her slightly of herself back when her brother was still with her. She had just wondered if she could see him again, because she wanted to bring him back. "So cute….." She commented, she tried to get along with them and make friends, she is no longer distancing herself from others, not when they are so eager to be a helping hand to everyone.

Larkon wasn't sure what he wanted to do. One minute he was shocked about what Alura did, next minute another close friend of his comes in giving him a hug he was not prepared for. He also could've swore he heard the night elf say the scene was cute. Still he did hug Kinar back softly, he wished things were the same like they used to.

"Yah, good to see you too Kinar…" He replied to the worgen. "I see you're still the naive little girl that chases butterflies…." He chucked, as he looked at Alura, still having the blush on his cheeks before shaking the awkwardness off from him.

"Eh'm, anyway…." he minded to Kinar who then pulled herself away from them. "New friends?" He looked over to the night elf, he could consider her a friend now if she wanted to.. "How are you doing Fylrae?" He asked the night elf, his tone giving off a small sense of courtesy because he had his respect for her. He was a lot like her, facing her own nightmares…...just like he is, but he could overcome it, because his friends are there for him…..and Alura. He realized that now.

"I'm fine…..just...feeling the sense of happiness…." Fylrae answered back.

The human warrior smiled and stood up. "Alright everyone…..I guess you need to get out for now, I still need to fulfill a promise that I would rest up." He looked at Alura, and just the same as he is, the blush was still there.

"Does that mean you and Alura are finally going to do it?" Kinar asked out of plain curiosity.

Despite that, Larkon kept his poker face. "Kinar….just let the joke slide….." He said to her. "Still not getting used to your jokes…." He chuckled.

"But I'm serious…." she confessed.

Alura then bumped in. "Larkon is right Kinar…..just you know…." She chimed in. "He still needs to rest up. Because he still is injured."

Flyrae patted the Worgen on the shoulder and motioned for her to follow her out the room so Larkon could fulfil the promise he made. With a shrug she gave in and exited the room with the huntress. Leaving the room all to the priestess and warrior.

Alura went on to the door, but before she exited she looked at him one last time and smiled at his direction. "Good night Larkon….."

He looked at her direction and smiled back for a reply. "Good night Alura….."


	34. The Tale of the Widowers

It was still the same for him, the same darkness, the same dark room with the dim light hovering over his face as the only source of illumination while he was surrounded by the unknown, usually in the form of faces that human eyes should not see. The nightmares still haunted him despite all this times to take a knee and have friends help you out. This is the moments that friends cannot help, where he only needs his own will to overcome it. Just like where he is now, on the brink of being consumed by the overwhelming darkness as the light gets thinner and thinner as the time passes on.

He gasps when a bloodied hand touched his cheeks. The same bloodied hands, the same bloodied face that come to haunt him each night. While the broken faces of his victims surrounds him with overwhelming stare of their bloodshot eyes. Larkon keeps on facing them, facing them and facing them, as they keep on telling him about his sins that could never be forgiven. A pain justifying his own conviction, his own burden inside the nightmare that he had been in since the day he was free. One form of freedom only to be imprisoned once more in a different way, a way that one could not sleep in.

"Larkon…" Their voices echo as their bloodied faces met up with his.

He wanted to close his eyes and think of something else, he does not want to see their faces, the demons behind them was too much for him. Their eyes were bloodshot red, their heads were twisted, their limbs were twisted to the point that it broke while some bones were protruding through their skin.

"Larkon….." They eerily echoed once again as one of their hands grabbed his throat and the other prying open his mouth as the hands stretched his cheeks to the point that it tear till blood and the sound of flesh being ripped would be heard. Another plunged both of its thumb on his eye, blinding him as blood come out from his eyes.

He screamed in pain, unable to do anything as he succumbed.

* * *

He woke up, feeling the sweat that slides on his skin. The nightmares were recurring since the week. It had been three days past when he left Thark's inn in favor for other inns because he doesn't want to be a freeloader to them despite protests and insistence from the other party. He wiped the sweat on his forehead as he stood up. If anything for him, the nightmare was one of the better ones. He doesn't know if the nightmare would keep on going and going and going till he grows old or die or would the Light itself would forgive him from his sins and free him from the things that doesn't get him sleep.

He looked over to the window of the inn, seeing that it was already late in the morning. He wanted to get up and get out from the inn already, but with the sweat on his skin he decided to take a wash on the bathroom first before going outside.

He made his promise to Alura, that despite being so down that he would never waste his life by doing dangerous things such as fighting for money illegally, like he did three days ago. He wanted to fulfill that because how she mean so much to him, because basically she is the only thing now that kept his spirits up. Her insistence for him to persevere through all this things while the nightmares keep him up from his sleep. He disrobed and stepped in to take a bucket and pour it over his head, washing the sweat and the smell that sticks to his body.

It brought a tugging smile to his face despite how he just woke up from the nightmare. The little small things like a good shower, or a good food got him up to make an effort on his promise to Alura. Without a doubt however, he kept on thinking the words of other people.

"How could a mongrel like you be with a maiden like her….."

He was confused to what is happening between him and Alura now. How she leaned in towards him as her lips was just centimeters from touching his. It confused him as it defied his principles to what life is. He always thought that the world is black and white, rich people would be loved by rich people, and poor people would be deemed useless from society which he considered himself as.

He bit his lips as he gathered his thoughts just as he gathered his clothes and went outside from the bathroom to clothe himself. As for now, he doesn't know what is going on and would just try to live with it.

A Knock got his attention. He turned around and head over to the door, twisting the knob till the person is finally revealed to be Durel. "Hey Larkon man, mind if I come in for a sec?" Durel asked.

Larkon seemed to notice that little has change on the man, his tone was no longer much of that innocent bystander, but change to somewhat that matched his own appearance in a way.

"Yeah you can come in." Larkon motioned as he cleaned up the towel and puts it somewhere. "How are you doing Durel? Sorry If I wasn't able to attend your wedding three months ago, because you know what of who did this of where I was type of sort blocked me from attending. So anyhow, how's the wife? I heard from Kinar that her brother visited, and that he was freakishly huge like a monster in a human body." Larkon cheered up with a joke.

"Oh yes, when I first met him I thought he was going to crush my skull with his bare hand. Your friend Kinar tells no tail, he's as big as that training instructor with the night elven wife a while back." Durel laughed a little.

"I see, so how goes your wife's pregnancy, do you know what she will be expecting?"

"We're expecting a boy to arrive any day now. About a few months ago we visited a specialist who was able to clarify the gender for us. Thing is, wife wants to name him after her late father instead of Raphael. So there went that dream but she did say next time if we have a girl, I can name her." Durel smiled.

The former Gladiator smiled. "So anyhow, what brings you back here?" Larkon asked.

"Well I was wondering if you could accompany me again with the old gnome, he got it on again against the nature community. And I want you to help me out on this, just like the old days. And perhaps you could meet my wife for the first time, she said that she wanted to meet you because of how you help me out all those months back." Durel answered.

Larkon stared at him for a moment, leaning back on the small wooden sink. "But I'm not part of the guard anymore."

"Yeah but, you always knew how to handle the situation better than anyone. That and you're the guy that's been taking care of Finan's nature community problems. In his absence in helping finding you, well they kind of messed the whole place up. And he's been spending all this time trying to either repair or clean up their mess that they've done to his house." he answered with a shrug.

"Well, alright I guess I can come sort the situation out a little. I mean he did help Alura and such."

"Also he's taken Kinar in as an apprentice in herbs because of Kinar's druidic nature and such."

"Well that's nice. Alright just lead the way it's been a long while I somewhat don't recall the road that leads to his house or mansion or workshop or whatever the hell you would call it."

Durel then shrugs it off and gestures him to follow. "Come on man, so anyhow man you still up on meeting with my wife, Cassandra?

"We'll see Durel…"

* * *

Alura held herself up in the mirror as she brushed her teeth. Her eyes fixated solely on the focus of her pearly white teeth, unblemished, as beautiful as the purest of pearls. She somewhat noticed her own femininity, staring at her half naked form, seeing why people tend to look at her. It wasn't something to be proud too much but it did take her confidence slightly high. She also liked her new haircut that she got from that perverted troll weeks ago in their attempt to disguise her as a slave. She recalled that it made her look like she had the same hairstyle as Yrel now and in many ways made her look almost identical to her. Except she knew she had different horns and obviously slightly larger breasts and rear than Yrel. Her lips curled to a smile then spitting out the foamy paste and gurgled water to rinse the remains inside her mouth.

Her mind went back at Thark's inn. It's been three days since, she almost 'did it'. She didn't know why she did that, all she did was focusing on the stare of his eyes as he looked back, but then all a sudden a tug inside her pulled her closer to him till she almost kissed him, and what is worth mentioning is that it was she who initiated it. Did she truly love him? She has been saying to herself that her vows are still there, and had remained so. Many have tried to court her and all of them failed, but he didn't try but instead he pulled her unknowingly closer to him.

Her face felt heated and she formed a blush once more just thinking about all these thoughts. Inside she felt an internal war being waged. A part of her wanted to stay true to her vows while another part wanted to continue where she and Larkon left off and perhaps go further. She shook her head and went on to wear her clothes. She can't decide for now because it is one of those things that she needed to talk to people who has more experience in this kind of topic. She might or might not break her vows, but she has to address this by asking people with more experience. Her mind and heart can't keep up with the internal war inside herself.

Alura then left her room after getting dressed and went on to the hallways of the church. She looked around seeing that only a few people attended for today's hearing, and the hearing was almost over. Kinar left the church for an errand so in this case nothing much can be done here inside the church. Alura was not much in reality till she bumped into someone that sent her back.

"Ouch...I'm sorry priestess, forgive me." A soft voice said.

Alura looked up to see a High elf with blue eyes and white hair, she was incredibly beautiful even to their standards. She then nodded in her direction. "It's alright, I was not looking to where I was going."

She noticed that the high elf was wearing a black robe. In the church, wearing a black robe usually means a widow had taken shelter in the church because she can't fend for herself due to the death of her husband. Judging from an another little girl that aged somewhere between 10-12 that had run up to the high elf could mean that she was her child.

"It's alright ma'am, I wasn't looking at the where I was going myself." Alura said as she looked up to her. "Excuse me, are you the recent member of the church? I heard it was a high elf…" she asked.

The Elf nodded. "Yes I was, I had to take shelter here because my sister already went back home. Forgive me if you would consider me a freeloader here in the church because I have nothing for myself to provide for my child because my husband died, and the church' hospitality among the widows who can't provide themselves is the only thing that would help me." The high elf concluded, looking up to her slightly taller figure.

"I'm so sorry, please have a seat, tell me everything." the Draenei offered, taking a seat on the benches and offering the widowed high elf a seat next to her.

The mother elf looked at her small child a moment before speaking. "Shaila, your mother needs to...talk to the priestess here about something that troubles me in private. Could you go out to the Church's courtyard and play with the other children please. But don't wander off to far."

"Of course mother." the child answered and happily skipped her way to the courtyard of the church, just as her mother took a seat next to the Draenei.

"I have been in here just for three days…..I'm not planning on to remarry for myself. He was…..more than enough to end my taste for romance. I would probably end my days here in serving the church." The high elf started.

Those words actually made Alura think for a short moment. It gave her an idea or possibility regarding Larkon for some reason she did not know why. Yet she quickly shook it out of her mind fast to help the high elf in need. "Were you satisfied to how you both ended it? It must have been a beautiful life for you both before the 'unfortunate' mis comings occurred. A very sweet child on top of that." Alura commented.

The High elf frowned and clutched her hands on her lap. "No…." She answered that made the draenei fold her smile into a frown herself. "It was my own cowardice that ruined it. He never got to see her grow, walk or talk. I suddenly left him because the pressures of my own kind called for me to leave him. And my decision to do that haunted me." The High elf told.

The Priestess was hesitant for a moment but she asked the same questioned she hesitated to ask either way. "What happened?"

The high elf sighed gathering her courage to retrace the memories back. "I was with child when my relatives had come in Lordaeron to tell me that they come for me." She said before continuing further. "They told me that they would disown me because I had a child from a human, and that they would never recognize me as their own, they would tell me that I would not be considered as a High elf and would be called a whore." She said, keeping her composure but there was an obvious tremble in her voice. "But they considered….that if I leave him, they will embrace me back in their arms and the child inside me would be loved despite being impure…." She told, as she wiped her eyes with her handkerchief.

"My love that kept on telling me how he loved me, and kept on making me happy ever since I met him. My husband, the father of my child, the one who chained my heart. The last words that he told me is when he promised me that he would never leave me and that he would care for me and for Shaila." She finally went on to a full cry. But she was not ashamed to cry, not when it was only her and Alura in the halls. "I don't know what came over me to consider their offers when he was there and I don't want to fathom the look on his face the moment he woke up with me not beside him, only a note telling how sorry I am." she confessed as she tried to put the tears away that blinded her eyes.

Alura was speechless, she knew heart felt as sore to hear the High Elf's story and she felt her chest heavy and her eyes watery themselves. "I'm sorry to hear it…..It must have…" Alura didn't continue.

The high elf sniffled and then look on to something positive as she pulled something out. "I remember when we first met. He was just a wiley painter, so young and so confident. I was walking by and a young man wanted to paint an image for me…..I never thought he would become someone who would hold my heart from then on…." She said as she showed the item, it was a painting of her in an beautiful icy blue dress.

The Priestess looked at the painting, seeing it being the work of a true master of his craft in the art of painting. For some reason it looked strangely familiar to her yet she could not put her finger quite on it. She observed the painting for half a minute before handing it back to the High Elf. "It's beautiful…" Alura then looked up to her. "Who is he? Your husband…...did he passed a long time ago?" Alura asked.

"He just died recently. Back then ten years ago, a month had passed and I was back to Silvermoon, I realized I made my mistake, and I headed back despite the protests and blackmails from my family. My sister is the only who supported me and accompanied me back to Lordaeron. But then….all these things happen, the plague, the scourge, the war." She said. "I couldn't get near him and lost all hope when years had passed, and my daughter Shaila was already born…..I thought he died and accepted it, working as a chamberlain for Lady Proudmoore while raising my daughter, but then when those letters arrive regarding some war, I saw his name…."

"What was his name?"

"Jorden...James Jorden Carson..…" she answered. "A young man told me that he served with him and that-"

Alura puts her hand on hers. "I knew him ma'am, and all I could say is that he is a great man. He helped a lot of souls, and the young man that you have mentioned is a friend of mine, he is one of those souls that he helped dearly." Alura said before mentioning her past on meeting with her husband. "Captain Jorden was an intimidating figure, he was very much the epitome of the phrase 'A Lion as a Captain' I've talked to him, and he was something…."

The high elf sniffled as she bellow a low chuckle at the word 'intimidating' to describe Jorden. "Jorden intimidating? Please, he was as gentle as a soft silk back when we were together…."

Alura frowned, if that were true then he was surely shaped by his own past. "Ma'am, Jorden fought so many wars. I met one of his close friends back, he told me that Jorden was brave. That he fought his way to life when he was in the third war, and more. The captain was always present in the war and always came out of it…..but this time he didn't now." Alura sadly mentioned.

The high elf's smile disappeared. "Oh…" She said as she tried to hide some tears in her eyes that once again began to appear as she heard her words. Third War, battles, blood. The gentle figure that was once with her disappeared the moment she left his side, and she was never there to help him when he needed it the most, but instead leaving his own self behind so that he could survive on his own. How she wished that Jorden moved on from her so that there was someone who would help him, someone to love him and hold him, because she never there for him that when he needed it.

"I am a selfish lover am I?" She asked the draenei. "Leaving him so sudden so that my lineage and image would be protected…."

"What, of course not. You loved him more then anything, you were forced to leave him that was far beyond ever your intentions and you were just so scared at the moment you had no one to turn to because it was a situation he could not know. And you came back to try and fix what was damaged by your family and now you are devastated to know to his death." Alura answered.

The high elf looked down with distraught. "Forced…...it was my choice. It all changed because of me. I really wished that Jorden didn't met me because all I had give him is heartbreak….."

Alura then touched her shoulders and gripped her hand gently yet firmly. "It was not in your power. He is looking down at you now, and he wouldn't like it to see you blame yourself because of your misgivings between you both. You coming back to him is a testament that you are a very loving person to him and that you loved him. It is more than enough to make his heart jump in joy. You are still seeing him, you can see that in your dreams and you can see that in the next." The draenei advised. "He loves you, and he with you right now, the problem is only that you can't see him right now, but you can definitely feel your heart stir because he is with you inside your own heart."

The High Elf thought of the Draenei's words. Though it felt like a long time as she let these words sink in and put her heart at peace. In reality it only took her a minute as she smiled happily to hear these words and know Jorden still loves her and that he knows of her faithfulness.

* * *

The Vindicator had made his way to the 'Druids' Sanctuary Tavern,' located in the city. Though he did not show it much but he was truly devastated. The words of his own daughter telling him that she hated him burned painfully at his very core. It truly hurt him, so much that the only sign of his eternal pain was the small tears that poured from his eyes.

He entered the tavern slowly. As always like most taverns the place was filled with allot of people there who were there for their own reasons. Either to get together and enjoy a good drink with their buddies or others. Also like always the moment he entered the people stopped what they were doing and became amazed to see him here. The famous Vindicator Joven of Exodar, one of the Heroes who helped defeat the Lich King and a powerful noble leader among the Alliance.

Yet today he was not himself. Ignoring their questioning the stairs, he made his way over to the bar at the far end. There he saw a beautiful Night Elf with amber eyes and silver white hair washing a mug. In many ways she reminded him of his daughter which hurt him all the much. Upon realization who had just entered her tavern, the Night Elf was shocked and surprised to have such a famous celebrity in her tavern. If she had remember correctly, this was the same Paladin who had helped her husband fight the Lich King.

"Oh Vindicator Joven, um it is an honor to have you in my tavern. Is there you need?" the Night Elf woman asked.

Joven's only answer was setting ten gold pieces on the bar table in front of her. "Just a freshwater, nothing like a pure drink." He replied as he was suddenly patted on his shoulders. He looked behind him and saw a night elf, with the same silver white hair as the night elf tavern owner.

"I got the water for him, just get back right there Nilsha. Your children is needing you." The night elf told. He looked at the draenei and asked. "Alright, I'm a bit surprised that you came here Joven. How is the life? For me, it is a bit of a fun day, I just came here checking up on my daughter." He told as he watched the younger night elf smile and walk off to go get her children. He then pointed at a human woman who is serving up water while spewing fireballs from the tips of her fingers when one of the customers stroked her bosom. "And helping out these young souls."

The Paladin accepted his offer and takes the water and drinks it. "Nothing much, my wife decided to stay in the Stormwind Church, wanting to spend time with our daughter in the church also, so I decided that perhaps we'll move out from Exodar and stay here permanently." He said. "Why you ask old friend?"

"Well, we've been on many adventures in the past. And I've come to know you almost as one would know his own brother." the older night elf spoke as he took a seat at a table with the Draenei. "So, I know you well enough to summarize that you are deep in conflict with yourself to come here of all places. So old friend, what troubles you enough to come here?"

The paladin looked at the distance as he looked at the door. The daughter of his old friend was cuddling an infant while another draenei, a female was playing with two of her other children, twins girls which he make out of.

"So, those are your grandchildren? They're beautiful, like their mother."

The Night elf nodded. "Yep, all three of them. I seem to forget that their half-elves. The girls looked liked too much of a night elf and then the boy looked too much of a human to be considered half-elves, but their half elves nonetheless, it's in their blood. I wasn't expecting half-elves as my grandchildren at first but I soon to let go of that ambition." He told.

"Wasn't your daughter a priestess of Elune?"

"Well children are stubborn, she's not an exception. I always thought that she would become a mother." He said to him before asking. "How about you old friend? Expecting grandchildren in the future? The girl is the only one you have with your wife am I right?" He said before giving off a chuckle. "How we're different you and I." He commented.

Joven looked over gripping his chin, reminding himself to what she had said. "Well, I'm in those situation that she needs to cool off a bit. I screwed up, said bad things and in result….well you know the deal. You've been there yourself." He said.

The older night elf noded. "Ahhh I see. How bad are we talking Joven?"

When the older Draenei did not answer, it was enough to confirm an answer for the Night Elf. "That bad hu?"

"From the stories you have told me regarding your daughter's choice of husband. I will confess to say that bad yes." Joven answered taking another sip of water.

"Was this about your daughter's choice to wed someone?"

"No, she still keeps true to her vows. It's just…" Joven sighed sadly unsure how to continue.

The night elf then pats his shoulder. "Well we learn when we learn, it's one of those girl issues we never understand. But nonetheless I've done worse than you, you know? If you said you had told her bad things then what I said to my daughter when she was at her worst is ten fold." He said. "We learn, but we get there when we get there. I mean, I learned to love her choices of who she wanted to be, even my pleas fell on her deaf ears when I suggested that she would have to move on when he grows old and dies. We just be calm and respect some of their choices but we shouldn't neglect them."

Joven gripped his chin. "Now that I've think about it, there was this human that she kept on mentioning…" He told.

The night elf chuckled. "Human? Again? These bunch of groups are really trying to steal our women aren't they?" He joked.

"Well can you blame them? Naah I'm just kidding, they're all beautiful." The Paladin tried joking a little. "But yes, this...human, my dead friend's prodigy, I owe him to say the least." He informed before clarifying. "Met him once though I could say that, I don't know much about him, but whatever he had kept her happy."

"Sounds like my daughter….."

"I guess in some ways I can agree. But if I may ask. What changed your views of your daughter's decision and allowed you to make amends with her?"

"To put it simply, my grandchildren."

Joven was silent for a moment as he allowed his old Night Elf friend continued.

"Well, it was a scary for any father when my daughter contemplated suicide, I thought that pushing her further to leave the human while he was missing would actually make her do it, but it only made it worse. But it was when they were born, just like any grandfather you can't stop yourself from loving them. If the males of our kind love the females of their kind then vice versa we can't stop love." He told. "I was not a role model despite my daughter's depression when she was three months in and in that point the news already hit her that her husband wasn't going home and despite that I was still trying to dictate on what her life should be. Well that pushed her to the point of considering on taking her own life because of people around her, who instead comforts her when she was at their lowest, they turned on her." He said before looking to his daughter who was happily cuddling her infant. "We all learn, and I learned that when he returned and the twins were born." He finally ended.

The Paladin Draenei was silent for another moment, sighing again before he answered. "My situation is not of the same. So I am not sure how to approach it."

"Well, I'll tell when there is a point where your daughter will need you, and don't do anything else other than doing what she needed. I failed at that and almost lost her for that but you my friend won't do the same mistake, you'll learn from me." He said.

"But if you failed at that, how did your daughter forgive you?" he asked the night elf once more.

"Well she told me if I want her to forgive me then I should ask forgiveness to her mate or….husband in human terms. And Well I did, it didn't take him long to say 'You're her father and my in law so you have my respect,' And we made up." He answered the draenei.

"I see…" replied Joven before he stood. "I apologise for making this meeting short, for there's something I must do. I thank you once more old friend and if you meet Galvane. Tell him I said hello once more. I still owe him back in Northrend."

"I'll see you somewhere later old friend, don't forget to visit more often in here." The night elf waved his goodbye

* * *

The two human guards had made their way back to the mansion that belong to the gnome that seemed to always get in trouble with the nature loving groups of the city. It wasn't the gnome's choice or fault it was just the groups seem to always take things too far. Larkon sighed in annoyance, the last time he was here, the group threw fruit and vegetables at him and Durel along with making a mess of Finan's mansion.

Like always back in the old days they found Finan standing and waiting patiently at his front yard for them. Though this time the moment the old gnome saw Larkon his eyes lit up in thrill excitement.

"Larkon thank the Light you're alive and now back here since Thark informed me that you were back, hmmm you look bigger than I remembered but anyhow. You would not believe the shit that we went through to try and find you. The shit poor Alura went through trying to find you personally. At first Thark dragged me into the adventure but later I volunteered to continue until the kidnapping happened then Thark and the night elf went off on their own then you go back home and you're here right now. First adventure with that old mule that didn't end up with me getting shot for once." Finan exclaimed. "Good truthful story right? I'm glad you're back home right now big man, how is Alura? The draenei had been crying a lot lately when we were adventuring." Then the gnome blabbered.

The human warrior still remembered the gnome's mouth that doesn't stop talking. "I guess we are all right, so aren't you retired now officially?"

The old Gnome slapped his face, rubbing it roughly in annoyance. "His majesty Varian Wrynn King of Stormwind by emergency order, had postponed my retirement...again." Finan groaned before letting his face go. "My work on the herbs needed for the soldiers worked so well, or too well on my behalf that his majesty and his son saw my work as a valuable asset. So I don't retire until after this whole mess with the Dark portal gets solved. And that, now that's a bitch." He said before getting right up to his point. "Hey Larkon, I was only expecting Durel to come here because he usually comes in here to get some herbs for his wife's pregnancy, and in exchange he takes care of the nature huggers organization….each week, but they had been aggressive lately….been destroying some of my property which I warned them of vandalism, but you get the point, they're outside doing it again." He said, pointing them outside as he gestured them to follow him.

"So I take it the threat I made the other day didn't work Finan?" Durel asked as he and Larkon followed the old gnome mage.

"Didn't work. The entire time I was off adventuring to try and find Larkon they took advantage of my leave of absence to mess up my entire home. It's taken me weeks to finally get it all cleaned up. And just as I've finished they come back for round whatever by this point. Now they've gotten to the point that they're attacking my new apprentice Kinar simply because of her help in my work. I already got enough shit on my hands to deal with already. With the Dark Portal issue, trying to get the herbs for your wife, helping Kinar with her training under my tutelage. All the while got to fill in another order of herbs not just for the Alliance Armies but the Horde Armies as well to deal with this issue. I just don't have the time to deal with these nutjobs anymore, I'm out of patience." Finan explained.

"Yeah I see what you mean. Alright let's get this over with fast, I want Larkon to meet my wife soon." Durel chimed in as he gestured at the window where protesters once again were positioned. "Yeah there they are Larkon. Apparently they had more groups and some." He said.

Larkon walked towards the door and bolted in. "Alright people calm down I'm try-" An egg landed on his face.

"Wait! It's you again!" The night elf leader exclaimed as she stopped the other members from throwing eggs. "I'm sorry that you went with the draft, but if there is any excuse from you there won't be! This man is still experimenting on nature itself, along with his new worgen Apprentice who shames the name of druid!" She accused again.

Larkon wiped the eggs on his face. "Ma'am….uhhhh. Hmmmm, Kinar is a druid and that's why she is helping ole Finan the Gnome here. She and he are researching to test and enhance the resistance of the trees to make them grow faster." He explained.

"We call nonsense on that, we know he still runs experiments for the King who has no appreciation for nature. That's why the gnome can get away with whatever he does!" One human activist spoke.

"Honestly I don't know how Varian puts up with this crap…" Finan groaned rubbing his face.

Larkon then looked back at Finan "What were you doing Finan?"

"Cross breeding plants, it's like the same for interracial breeding but the outcome of the plant's offspring would be completely different. King Varian wanted us to enhance the plants on making them grow faster because the nature community is pulling….." He then coughed and shouted. "A Horse butt on us!"

Larkon then looked back at them. "Well you heard the man, it's for their benefit. Kinar is also one of those green persons who want to preserve nature." He said.

The night elf then clenched her teeth. "Lies! We have seen how he extracted the seed from the plants like a butcher!"

The gnome finally shouted back. "Ma'am would you please commit beastiality if you really love nature that much, I'm sure you'll love the love you get from horses!"

Durel snorted out of hidden laughter.

"I've been putting up with this shit for fifty years, fifty years of dealing with you nutjobs barging at my door steps and causing a whole mess on my mansion I built with my own hands while dealing with issues going on with the first, second, and third war. I should've been retired by now but no, his majesty wants me to both supply herbs for the Alliance and Horde who are killing and dieing just so nutjobs like you can have the freedom to disrespect all the work they've sacrificed for the Alliance and Horde for fifty years. Now his majesty was kind enough to take your thoughts into consideration despite all the crap he has to put up with trying to defend his kingdom from all the threats such as Arthas, Deathwing, Garrosh, I can go on all day the amount of shit we all suffer. So with that knowledge in mind I will kindly ask for all of you to FUCK OFF and let us do our work in peace. Once I'm retired you'll never hear of me messing with plants anymore and I do have a member of your group as my successor so calm down and piss the fuck off!" Finan shouted all the while powering up powerful arcane magic in his hands.

One of the human boys went up to his superior. "Kinar did say to us that she will not be abusive and would be careful. I guess her being his successor would also be good on our part." He whispered.

The night elf considered. "Alright gnome, I guess you win for a bit. I'll be watching Kinar closely, but to hell with your 'disgusting' comments about me." She said. "I'll leave you for a bit, say hi to Kinar for me!" She said as she waved by just as she refrain herself and her other members from the vicinity.

"And to hell with all your horeshit about nature. I've been at this work for fifty years for the Alliance Military and the Kirin Tor before them, I've earned my right to do my job and to finally retire peacefully from it when this whole Dark Portal mess finally goes away! Next time you nutjobs come barging into my house I won't just call the guards, I'll have the King's permission to kick you off my land personally which I can and will and if you don't believe me, just watch me tuts!" Finan growled as the arcane magic glowing in his hands glowed even brighter along with his eyes.

With an insulting yet seductive stare the Night elf looked back, kissed the palm of her hands then blowing a kiss over his direction. The Gnome just looked at the Night Elf in confusion before calming down and lowering his arcane magic to disappear. He looked back at the two human guards and motioned them to follow him into his mansion.

"Now that's been settled, Durel would you kindly follow me into my home your wife showed up about an hour or two ago to pick up the herbs I had for her. Well did have for her until those nutjobs came and ruined them so now I have to fix another batch for her. Which won't take long so it's best you introduce young Larkon here to her."

The young husband nodded. "Yeah sure, was the maid with her when she showed up?" Durel asked.

"Yeah, yeah." The Gnome said. "Yow Larkon, want to follow up?

"Um sure, uh Finan I..I had no idea you've, fought in all three wars…" Larkon confessed, still surprised from the sudden explosion of anger the old gnome displayed just a moment ago.

"Yeah just a luck that I live, but anyhow let's get this on so that you get to meet Durel's wife. She's something that he should have." He said.

The two had to duck under the door just to get inside the Gnome's mansion. It was the same as they remembered the last time they had entered.

"There was a lot of yelling going on outside, is everyone alright?" the three heard a soft voice call to them from close to Finan's workshop lab.

There, Larkon finally saw Durel's wife for a first time. Though he remembered the blonde haired woman months ago but he never got the chance to examine her right up to right now. She was a highly attractive and beautiful young human woman with a slim physique on par with that of a high elf. She had long light blonde hair that she kept tied to a braid which hangs on the right side of her head, blue eyes, and had paleish pink skin. She was wearing a long robe that spans all the way to her forelegs as it hidden the bulge on her stomach that was clearly in his views that anytime of the day she was due.

Larkon smiled at his friend's direction, he was surely impressed on his part, because he can't deny how beautiful she is, her face was very gentle and beautiful almost elven yet it it was clearly human.

"Oh Durel, you're finally here!" She exclaimed in surprise and happiness before looking over to Larkon. "Oh Hello! You must be Durel's friend Larkon! Oh I am so indebted to you for helping him so many times. My name is Cassandra, but you can call me Cas or Sandra in short if that is you prefer. I'm so glad to finally meet you." The beautiful wife of Durel introduced as she held out her hand in a shake.

However Larkon had other plans as he took her hand gently, leaning down and delivered the kiss on the top of her hand. "There is a saying that friends should not reveal their beautiful wives to their other friends." Larkon joked as he looked at Durel before letting her hand, earning a flattered chuckle from the beautiful soon to be mother.

"Ohhh, I'm so flattered, but don't worry Durel he knows you're my one and only." She said as she slowly went over to durel and kissed him on the lips.

"So Durel has told me you two are to be expecting a boy soon, and you wanted to name him after your late father Cassandra?" Larkon asked.

Cassandra smiled. "Yes that would be our options. I want to name him after my father, Roland, I think it is perfect for him." She said.

"Roland, where have I heard that name before?"

"Roland was the predecessor to my squad's captain before my captain took over." Durel answered. "He's was a hero in his time….."

Cassandra then looked to her husband and kissed him once more. "Well, you are going to be your baby's hero when he arrives, and become the hero of others when we 'make' more babies together." She said.

"Right, not the kind of conversation I would like to hear while trying to do work here." Finan stated before hopping off his stool he was standing on with a package for the young woman. "Anyrate, here is your order, this medicine will reduce the pains you are having from your baby's kicking and such while providing no harm to him whatsoever. Be sure to take these twice a day in the morning and at night before you go to bed. Now these were specially made by my apprentice Kinar who is also good friends with your husband and his friend Larkon here as well as a very talented Druid and Priestess if the Church. I wish you the best of luck on everything you do now and in the near and far future."

"Thanks Finan, it'll help Cassandra in the pains for a bit." Durel accepted the bag before looking at Larkon. "I take that the baby is also excited when he meets his uncle." Durel said that made Larkon raise his brows.

"Uncle? But we're not-"

"Look man, you and I spending together in the barracks and patrols were more than enough. You're part of this family now Larkon, there's no changing that." He said to him as he rubbed the stomach of Cassandra in paternal affection.

Larkon stared down at the floor for a moment. He wasn't the type of family man since the only family he ever had was his unit in the guard. Then there were his friends that risked their lives to search for him even though most told he was dead. Finally there was Alura who felt like more than just a friend to him, more than just a very deep close friend. He shook his thoughts and played the act to disguise his true feelings.

"Um thanks...Durel…"

* * *

After Alura had prayed with the widowed High Elf until she knew she was well enough to continue on her own. The Draenei took the personal time she had left to pray silently to herself. Her talk with the High Elf made her think very heavy revolving around her current situation involving Larkon. Again her talk reminded her of what she suspected to be growing feelings for the human warrior. Yet there many possible issues that regarded that manner. Such as the strong possibility of losing him just as Jorden's wife had lost him.

She might or might not. Even if she is that she and Larkon would be together, she herself doesn't even know whether or not Larkon had feelings for her also. He is seldom in showing his emotions, he never cry unless it had to. Foremost can she herself handle the burden of widowhood? She as a draenei would out grow him to the millenia's, generation and generation would pass by, centuries to centuries would go and she would still live here while he is already buried down six feet under the earth, where she had to endure the loneliness that would pass on.

"I….don't know…." She told herself. That is the case for her, she doesn't know if she can handle watching him grow old just like her friends. It reminded her the curse of her own immortality, that the draenei should not be close to other races if they want to not know the feeling when a loved one would pass. If the high elf could, even at the shadows where she didn't even get to see her lover grow old, she handled the pain. Yet in her own case was different. It was a decision that she didn't want to make but needed to. She loved him and she can't deny that, but she is afraid to tell him for the reasons why.

"Alura? Why are you all alone in here?" A soft voice called.

Alura turned to her right and saw that the High Priestess Laurena of Stormwind was walking towards her, sitting down just after.

"Oh, High Priestess Laurena, I thought you were gone attending to business for the Church elsewhere. How may I help you?" the Draenei asked with a soft bow.

"From the looks of you I believe it is you who is in need of my help. Tell me young child what troubles you?" the human High Priestess and head of the Cathedral requested.

"Oh nothing is troubling me your holiness. I was just praying for the soldiers still fighting for their lives and the lives of their loved ones still at the Dark Portal even as we speak." Alura answered.

The Blonde human then looks at the altar. "War takes toll on our loved ones? I'm just glad that the current war we have now is in controlled hands and wouldn't have to take so many lives, but still, anything can happen then…" The high priestess told.

Alura looked at her before taking an opportunity. She was alone with the high priestess whom she had recited her vows to. "If I may asked High priestess, I just want to ask, have you ever loved someone that made you think about your vows that you hold to?" Alura asked.

The blonde priestess then looks at her and opened up. "Is this about a boy that your mother had told me?" She raised.

The Draenei's face lid of with a blue blush that was very obviously to see from anyone. "Wait, my mother told you, but, it was…" Alura tried to explain. Why of all things did her mother have to share that with her holiness of all people.

The reaction from the draenei to Alura's surprise, earned her a chuckle from Laurena."Well Alura you were like me, minus the priestess part. There was this boy that I loved dearly, he was my friend when we were just babies and had been more than a friend. I am thirty seven years old now and back when I was younger, I was not aspiring to be a priestess, no, I was aspiring to be just a simple mother to a simple husband in a simple house living raising simple children and live a simple yet peaceful life." She said before looking at the draenei with a small smile. "It is a surprise for you isn't it?" She asked.

Indeed it was a surprise to hear this from her holiness High Priestess Laurena. Alura had never thought or even imagined let alone think to hear such a confession from her Holiness. "I...I...I will confess your Holiness I am speechless to hear these words. I, I am truly more than surprised to hear this…"

"Which is your right to be as such. It is not something I share with anyone not even other young aspiring priests I teach in the ways of the Holy Light."

"But, why didn't you High Priestess?" Alura asked.

The high priestess bellowed herself closer and looked up high. "Well…...things came up that wasn't supposed to be." She said as she took something from her pocket. It was a small knife encased in a leather sheath, the blade was just a fingertip's' length. "I was twenty four years old, so young, so happy. I waited till marriage for him before we would officially bed….but faith tend to be harsh from time to time. But at least he left me something, this knife was his gift, he said that 'he doesn't know what to give' for me but it was more than enough."

"Did you leave him High Priestess? Surely something important came up that it made you become a priestess." Alura raised.

"Well in Hearthglen a strange man just came and attack us when we were wondering together in a small farm. The man bit him, just a small wound, and we fend him off as he had him unconsciousness shortly after a brief struggle. But we were not expecting it…."

"I'm sorry High Priestess, if you want to not…."

The high priest then waved off. "It's alright Alura." She assured before continuing off. "And then on I was helping around the village when sickness became apparent in the village. I helped then, then went back home to start our own dinner. But then that's when I saw him tying himself up in the window bars. I knew something was wrong, because his eyes changed, his skin were dull, his cheeks were grey. He wanted me to tie his other hand on the window bars also with a rope and then his ankles and others that completely restrained him. I didn't know why, but just demanded me to do so in a voice that I never heard from him before."

Alura's eyes widen, she knew where this was leading to and what this person was slowly turning into. It was no different then what happened to Thark's son. Still she asked the question of "What happened…?"

"Well…...I don't know…...he wanted me to do something that I would never do as he thrashed there in struggle. He was basically begging me to do something that a lover would never do as I watched him struggle in those ropes as he resisted something that I can't understand. I stood there watching, knowing the person I loved deeply before my eyes were taken away from me as he turned into something that he was not." She softly told as she had her head down looking at the knife as tears slightly drips in the corner of her eyes. "That was the moment all my dreams of a simple life, to be a simple mother to simple children as a simple wife to a simple husband." She said before changing her tone.

"Right there and I ended it, I raised my knife and ended it, doing something that a lover could never do, yet I did it." She said before looking at Alura. "I became a priestess then after, knowing that there is no reason for me to stay and wait for some other men to replace him because there was no replacement. Many have tried and all have failed." She ended as she then clarifies. "This is a story that I tell to priestesses that who are considering to have the life I never got, and you're the first."

Alura was now even more shocked. Of all the years of being a member of the Church, she had never thought to hear such a story from her holiness herself. It made her question allot of things, for she looked up to her holiness as a mentor role model exactly like how she views her mother. If anything, it was her holiness that had helped her learn the ways of the Light and taught her how to use the healing holy magic to help those in need. Yet to hear this story just made her question almost everything.

"If you want to have a life that I wanted Alura, you have my blessing and support. You would be free of your vows the moment you do." Laurena answered.

"But I...I still have my vows and…" Alur tried explaining but it was no use as her Holiness softly interrupted with by placing a soft hand on her shoulder.

"Alura if I may ask, are you satisfied with your life?"

Alura had no answer for that question except only one. One she was still not sure if she should accept or not. It was like her holiness was able to read her mind because the next words Laurena spoke retained to something that was similar to what Kinar had spoken to her many months ago.

"Kinar once came to me in a similar situation. She had spoke that she was grateful and honored to serve the Holy Light but it was not something she wanted to do forever. Like me she wanted to have a simple life married to a simple man or Worgen, and raise a beautiful daughter together. Yet she felt if she did so she would no longer still be able to serve the Holy Light."

"Yes Kinar told me something like that many months ago."

"My answer to her is true she would not be able to serve as a member of the Church but in many ways it would serve as a more of retirement then a punishment. For there is no greater reward to be blessed with then to have that kind of life. And just because you will live a normal simple life freed from your vows, you can still serve the Holy Light for the Light understand, and knows you're pure of heart to wield it's Holy Magic. So if you wish to have the life I cannot have, do know no one will think different of you not even the Light itself. That is what I told Kinar and it is what I am telling you now." Laurena spoke softly.

"I'm not sure about this High Priestess Laurena…." Alura concerned. "I'm delving into something I've never done before, breaking my vows, pursuit of interracial marriage. I-I'm not sure, me being a draenei, I would out live my friends and I would outlive him if we ever come to terms to be together. I just don't know how to approach this because If I did and does have the life that I wanted, in the end, he won't be with me for the remainder of my years. I have to suffer widow hood till my days end, and despite other races such as elves choosing to accept their faith for their lovers of different races, I am just not sure about this…...I'm afraid I'm not strong enough." She told her.

"I do not fully believe that. You were determined enough to make a journey to the dark portal even if it meant going on your own to save him. Risking capture or death and to my knowledge you were indeed captured. Yet you knew those risks but still continued on. You continued even when everyone told you the possibility of his death. Your actions of your willingness to go to sever lengths and more just to bring him home safely tells me you are very strong in your own right and are more than capable of being strong enough for this decision." the high priestess spoke then she gently held both of her hand. "Look Alura, if you are not willing to be a priestess who held onto the vows forever till your flower wilts then let it go, if you are willing then let it stay. If you truly love this person, then explore that road. My lover has already moved on with me, and now I'm just staying here before moving on with him also and be united. But now you are here, and he is also here, don't let your insecurity hold you back. Remember Alura, he is human such as I, and our years are short compared to yours, if you hold yourself back it might be too late because by the time you have realize he might be already too old now to love you." She ended.

With the first hearing of those words a new fear came over her that completely washed away her previous one. She knew she loved him and she was afraid to lose him as they grew old. Yet now she face the fear of waiting to late to tell him how she felt before he grows too old for her to ever confess. It is true she would outlive him, yet if that be the case, she would rather have Larkon live those years with her in perfect peace with her instead of all alone with no one like had always been for most of her life.

"Have you met the Night Elf who once in awhile would come here with her children in the church Alura?" Laurena asked.

Alura nodded. She had meet the elf she refered, where they talked about their past and how ironically the same subject. "I did met her High Priestess, she was very beautiful and very kind." She said.

"Well She, the night elf told me how her children came to be. It all started with a simple customer clad in armor, a depressed man she indicated. He was rude, he was very dangerous looking, yet in the end he was the father of her children." She said. "She told me that she overcame the fear of the thought that he would grow old, and she overcame the fear of widowhood, because all she did was think of the life they would have before that time arrives." Before adding a quote that made Alura widen because of familiarity. "I asked why and she said that her husband once said to her. Don't worry about my death, worry about life, take charge of life till it lasts."

That brought a huge smile on the Draenei's lips as she now no longer felt the fear that had been troubling her for so long. It made her remember the words Larkon once spoke to her back at the lake. Standing up she made a soft bow before speaking.

"Thank you for your words of wisdom your holiness. I must go and speak to him. However I want to assure that even if I may no longer hold my vows to the Church I will continue to serve the Light to the best of my abilities in my future to come."

The more experienced priestess watched her student went off from the church. How she wish she once again had the opportunity like her, settling in down as a lover of someone while watching their children grow. "Tell him Alura…..don't regret it like me…." She whispered to herself before walking back to her room where she needed something to prepare.


	35. Memories to Know in Valentines

Quon smiled a little and took another shot of ale before answering. "When two veterans of years of experience of stories, clash in their greatest skill, the challenge may last for many hours…" the veteran Shado-Pan spoke to the Veteran Sharpshooter in a almost half drunk state himself.

The gladiator smiled at the sight. The days had been kinder for him since then. The nightmares were still there but they were no longer as dark as he remembered them to be. It was probably because it was his depression that made them darker as they are supposed to be. "I'm alright Old Bonebeard, I can handle myself for my finances." he returned.

"Aye for now but I'll find something for ye to work around here I be needin some extra help around here anyrate. But before that lad I got to answer the age old question…." Thark took another shot of ale before answering. "Which one of us two veteran Dwarf and pandaren can hold ye drink…"

Quon only replied by taking another shot of ale. "Many times I have entered this contest, but never with a worthy opponent as a Dwarf of such experience."

"Aye ye got that right…"

Larkon looked back when a hand came on Larkon's back, signaling him. "Larkon, someone is here to see you…." Kinar told him, pointing to the a draenei of familiarity.

Larkon nodded, he could finally meet the person who fathered the person he owed to. He went up to him and offered him his hand for a shake. "It's nice to meet you in person Vindicator Joven, my Captain's personal friend he would say. He would have been still meeting had I fought harder…." He stopped himself from continuing as he felt guilt, shame, and regret all begin to come back to him as the memories of those events flashed into his mind.

Yet he felt the Paladin shake his hand with a strong friendly grip before patting him on the shoulder. "Actually, the honor is mine Larkon. For I am eternally indebted to the one who saved my daughter. Come have a seat, there is much I wish to speak to you with." Joven offered and motioned Larkon a seat back at the table he was sitting.

He agreed and sat back down on the chair while Joven took a seat in front of him and gladly accepted the cup of water from Kinar.

Larkon then looked at Kinar, indicating that he wanted a little bit of privacy between them, and in response Kinar went on to the others to play along with them. "I thank your for visiting here in the small inn Vindicator, I'm glad to meet the father of a friend." He said before making a remark about his captain. "My Captain would've been here around then had we been drafted, but there are things that had needed us…" Larkon said.

"Youngman, by all counts there was no need for you and your squad to be drafted. If I had know I would've pulled you out as soon as I can. Alura had been sending me countless notes in request I get you and Jorden as well as your squad out of that position. However none of those letters ever reached to me just as none of the letters I had sent to Alura ever reached her. On account of General Moira believing the letters to serve as a distraction so he had any letters she made or I made burnt on the spot." Joven answered. "But whatever it maybe your Captain was a great friend of mine, and I wish him well wherever he is now."

"How great it would have been had he met his wife and child right now." Larkon expressed which calls for a surprise to the draenei.

"He had a wife and child? In Stormwind?" He asked for clarification.

Larkon nodded. "A half-elf and a High Elf, they reside in the church, they had none to look for finances, so right now they will depend on the church."

"I see…" Joven answered, sounding sad to hear such news of a his friend's wife now a widow with their child to raise without a father. All because of the person who dared burned his letters as well as his daughter's letters, and have the nerve to try and harm her. "I'm going to look into this harder, I promise you young man that Moira will not go out without persecution, I will investigate and we can settle things there. And also in my power I will try to meet Jorden's family and care for their needs." He said.

Larkon nodded.

"But anyhow young man, I just want to thank….." He sighed before giving off his thanks. "For saving my daughter, I am forever grateful for what you did for her." He expressed.

Larkon looked over to the dwarf and night elf. "Those two helped more than me. I was just lucky that I was able to run into them. You should be thanking them, at that point I was just walking back home." He said.

The Paladin looked over his shoulder, seeing the Dwarf continuing his drinking contest with the Pandaren with the Night Elf huntress keeping track of the amount they have dranked. "I have thanked them when I crossed paths with them earlier last week. Yet they tell me the same story my daughter told me. Which was that you are the one who did the most in saving her." He turned back to look back at Larkon. "So now that I have finally had the chance to meet you and talk to you for once in person, I am extending my deepest thanks and gratitude to you for everything you have done for my little girl who isn't little anymore."

Larkon wanted to say something, still not believing himself to be of any help when it came to Alura's rescue. Yet before he could, that was when he saw her enter the Inn. She looked a little different, instead of wearing her priestess robes she instead wore a knee short sleeveless white dress. She still wore her silver pendant from her priestess outfit and was also carrying a basket that looked like a picnic basket on her left arm.

"Alura?" Larkon spoke in question which caught the attention of her father who turned around to see his daughter, who like him also became surprised to see her in a different outfit instead of her normal priestess robes.

"Alura…?" was the only thing her father could say sounding just as surprised as the human was. "You can take my seat Alura, I was just leaving." He said before looking to the young fighter. "I'll take my leave now." He waved him farewell as he walked passed his own daughter, 'Not yet Joven, not yet.' he thought.

She never even bothered to look at him let alone speak to him. She was in no mood to talk to him after what he said as soon as she returned home. Right now her mind was focused on what she had been planning and preparing a whole week for. Taking a small breath in confidence she approached the former guard with a soft smile yet clearly small blush on her face.

"Hi Larkon…" She shyly greeted the human.

The human was left stunned. "Alura….you look….stunning, I must say."

Her smiled widen a little as well as her small blush brighten some more. "Thank you. Um...I was just curious if you would like to have lunch with me. I...I made it all myself…" she offered showing him the picnic basket in her arm and it's contents.

He looked back to the others, particularly the dwarf who in response give a thumbs up for him. With that, he eagerly replied. "I'd love to Alura." He said as he stood up before calling the others that he would be going out. "I'll be back guys, I'm just getting lunch with Alura, tell Durel if he comes I said hi to his wife and him." He waved back to them as Kinar giggled quietly for them.

"Oooooh I'm so happy for them." Kinar loudly said as they exited.

Quon secretly smirked and stopped the drinking contest for a moment to start jotting down stuff for his book of stories.

Once outside, the two just walked down the road, not sure where they go to have lunch. The entire time they were shy to look at one another. Larkon was just amazed at how pretty she looked while Alura herself was nervous on what to do next.

"So um...where would you like to have lunch at?" Larkon asked.

She looked at him, showing off her beautiful smile that he still haven't got used to see. "There this pond, where I sit with a little girl, a draenei like me. We spend there from time to time, and I asked her if she would let me have lunch with a friend of mine, and she agreed that she would let us eat right beside the pond." She told him.

"Oh okay, so where's this pond located at if I may ask?" he requested sounding nervous. Which was strange for he had no reason why to be or sound nervous since it was just lunch Alura.

"It's located in the city Outskirts." she answered.

He looked at her, and right now he saw her differently. Right now he was just thinking on how beautiful she is, the way her neck length hair neck flows against the air, and the way she smile always eased him up. Back then, he was never really conscious on how beautiful she was, but right now he could just see. His look on her is now different, he was never in love before, he had experiences on physical love, but was never emotional to any of the women he had met or bed other than being friends. Yet now the situation is different. Even as her lips move, there was no voice to be heard, all he could hear is an incoherent mumble to how he deeply admired her. Everything else was just blurry for him.

"You like that Larkon?" Alura finally ended.

The young warrior shook up his head on trying to find an answer, he didn't know what she had meant. "Um…..yes, yes that is alright Alura." He gambled.

"Well I'm glad you accepted swimming with me, I wish we had tried swimming back when we were visiting Elwynn forest." Alura unconsciously revealed which left the warrior unsure to what he had just accepted.

"Swimming?" He mumbled, he did not have any idea what he had just accepted to.

"Of course, I love swimming, it's a favorite exercise of mine…" she smiled softly to him, her beautiful luminescent blue glowing eyes shining for excitement.

"Um...I can't swim…" Larkon grumbled to himself shyly.

"Can't swim?" Alura asked out of the blue, she seemed to hear what he said to himself despite the low pitch of his voice. "I'll teach you Larkon." She offered.

Oh how she loved these type of talks. It had been a while now since the last time they truly went out for something together to have some fun. All the times of war, the expedition, and many things that she decided not to recall hindered that. Judging what Durel had told her on his current condition of his own self, it seemed that he was lighten up right now, how he looks compared to weeks ago is not lighter, and she was just happy to see him that way.

"I'm happy right now Larkon….are you happy how things are going right now?" She asked as they walked through the streets, keeping that smiled on to the end of her lips.

He did have to admit that he did feel happy just walking and being with her at this moment. Just her smile alone was enough to take his mind of the things that bothered him. So much that he could not help but smile himself as well feeling as happy as she maybe.

"Yeah I'm happy as well."

* * *

The young and wiley human paladin just do what he had to do, doing some chores that he did not expect he get from the higher people. Being asked to just sight see is not really something that a paladin expects to have as a request. Nonetheless he did not complain, it seems the higher ups were a good man, bringing more for safety and some happiness to trek around without care than to do something dangerous, which he appreciates.

It had been an hour since Eldon, a paladin, walked out from the village, trekking towards a spot far from the village, a spot that he usually played since he was a child, a spot that he still remembered. It was a shore in the ocean, but it was a shore that none discovered other than him. He loved how the sights played out on against the rays of the sun. He always do his prayer here while spending the rest of the day to either collects clamshells that he wanted to shape as necklace or just sit down and watch the sun rest upon the sky till it rest.

Right now he was trekking down the shore lines. He always loved how the waves hits the rock formation, and it was a sight to behold. It's like as if.

"Uhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu….." A whimper echoed through the breaches. The paladin suddenly stopped his tracks, following where the whimper was.

"Uhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu….." It echoed again. It brought the human's attention to the shoreline where the spiny rock formation always crashed against the waves. He made his way there quicker that he thought he would be, and when he arrived his whole mind was just in shock.

There was a creature laying on the spines of the rock formation, it was clear that the skin torn due to the sharp spines of the rocks Blood was dripping on the rock as it was clear as day that the damage was done on the side of its body. Laying on its side to try and protect its more vulnerable stomach. It seemed as if that the creature was battered against the rocks by the strong waves and in result it had been injured.

Yet what the creature was truly left the human in shock. He never had seen anything like it. It was like as if a fish and a woman had combine to form the most foreign, yet certainly the most beautiful creature he had ever laid his eyes upon. He shooked his head, snapping his thoughts to go back to reality, and just ran down the shoreline towards the rock formation, till he arrived in waist deep waters where the creature had lain in pain against a sharp rock formation. But it was its only form of sanctuary to protect itself against the thunderous waves.

The creature hissed, and weakly using her weird hands to slap and thrash the human paladin, but it was clear as day that it does not have any strength to resist.

The human's heavy armor proved to be a great factor on helping the creature as the waves wasn't able to push him around due to its weight and medium. Eldon wrapped his arms on her head, and tried to scoop the long length of her tail on his other arm. Despite the creature being quite large, the size of a human man, Eldon was something of great size also, using his strength to lift up the creature despite its weak hiss and groan in protest for his help. He walked out from the water, taking the creature from the rock formation till they arrived at the shoreline. He laid the creature out, her long tail began move aside while she transform, while the fins of her body began to become smaller, two digigrade legs formed underneath the tail where humanoid legs would be while her tail moved behind them.

He does not know what creature she is, he does not know whether this creature is dangerous or not, but it was one of his oaths to help as such. He lifted her up, who was lighter due to her tail moving aside in favor for her legs. She became smaller also, who was now only the size of a tall woman. He moved her from the shoreline towards a small patch of grass so that her wounds would not be tampered with.

"Uhuuuuuuuuuuuuu." The creature whimpered again as it weakly tried to use its arms to strike the human down.

Eldon did discarded his armor and used his shirt to cover up her wounds. Despite a paladin, he was still a paladin needed to be trained, he does not know yet how to wield the powers of the light to heal other people, he can only wield a sword to defend other people for now.

Tears formed onto the edge of the creatures eyes, clearly in pain. She no longer thrashed as she accepted the humans doing.

"This will hurt…" He warned her, though he does not know whether she would understand or not. He took out a bottle of fine whiskey from his pouches and poured down onto the wound.

The creature could only cry as it tried to resist the pains. "There, there, there's nothing here to be afraid, it's just whiskey to disinfect your wounds….." He said as he used his shirt to rinse of the blood from her wounds. "I still need to take you somewhere remote." He said as he once more positioned himself to scoop her up, and then, lifted, earning a groan of pain from his mysterious patient.

He took small steps to reach a cave, a cave that he had been decorating since he claimed it was his when he found it. He puts her to a small patch of coconut grass where he used to sleep in some nights, but now it would be occupied by her if she is to regain her health back.

"Re-release-me." The creature suddenly spoke in a very soft and beautiful feminine voice.

"Wha what? You can talk?" the young Paladin asked, taken back by this new discovery as he first thought she would not speak language he would understand.

The naga then held up her hands to his arms. "Rel-ease me….." She begged once more.

The paladin shook his head. "I cannot, not when you are injured, it is grave and you need to heal in time."

"Then give me the waters of the ocean. I cannot live long here in land, my body would dry if I stay too long…" The creature requested weakly, holding up her arms as she pointed at the waters of the ocean outside. She turned her head back to the paladin, which her strangely serpentine eyes looked at his darker brown ones. "Please….." She weakly begged.

He hesitated for a moment. Her injuries were too serious to be treated without proper care. However since she is a creature of the sea her words did have meaning to him. Without saying anything he made his way over to nearby waters closeby for her body to stay as wet as it needed to be.

"Why….." She quietly whispered as her body gently rests against the human while her lower body who transformed back to its original shape after submerging deep in the water.

"Why what?" He said as he tightly closed that wound with his cloth.

"Humans resent my kind…."

"I never knew the existence of such until now…" He said before adding a comment. "Now just rest, you'll need to heal before I released you back to the care of your kind." He informed her.

She looked up to him with her eyes and told him. "There is no such things as care in my kind, this would be my first experience of the word 'care'." She said. "We Nagas show no love nor sentimentality, just nature…."

"Naga….what a foreign word to say." He told. "Then rest, for now, you're under my care." He said as one of her arms moved to rest on her body, to which the human quietly take its to his and clutch it gently. "But if I may, do you have a name?"

"A name?"

"Yes, I am known as Eldon of the Silver Hand. What name do you possess?" the young human asked softly with a reassuring smile.

"Ereccia…."

"Then rest now Ereccia….."

In a moment everything seen through the eyes of the young paladin had ended. With the sudden awake back to reality, who was once Eldon awakened back into the deeply cold almost frozen room of his lair unknown to only a few.

Lazarus had looked at his surroundings, realizing he had fallen asleep on the chair of his office. Remembering days from long ago back when he was a human, back when he was a Paladin. Yet he felt something strange on his eyes, something colder than usual on him. Removing his helmet he reached for his eyes and found water had formed from his eyes only to be frozen the moment they came contact to his aura. Removing the frozen water from the edges of his eyes he knew what they were, his own tears frozen upon unknowingly crying from that memory. As he looked at the frozen sample of tears which he now held at the palm of his hand he sighed, remembering those events from long ago.

"Only a dream of a time long ago...yet…" the Death Knight gripped the frozen tears in his palm tightly. "It still feels as if it was happening in present." He said as he suddenly danced his hands, and in result the ice around him began to float, destroying itself to the size of a grain of sand to then just suddenly transforming the grains in the form of a humanoid figure, one is a human man and the other is a female naga, dancing along as if a reminder to one of the things he had done in the past.

With a closed fist the magic dispersed. "But we put that behind for now…" He said as he suddenly stood up.

* * *

The warrior followed the draenei with a heavy breath, he never thought that this 'pond' that she spoke of had to be walked up in a hill. He always hated elevated places, but regardless he didn't complain, he was only surprised how Alura was so energetic in walking such an elevation. He wasn't much of an energetic person, usually gassing out in a ten minute jog, but now climbing in an elevated hill took out from him for quite a bit.

Finally the elevation stopped, and he could finally see the pond that Alura spoke of. It was the same as the lake that they found in the forest. It was a bit smaller in terms of circumference, but clearly the waters were much clearer, the fishes swam at the deep as he looked around. The elevation was surrounded by trees with not much activity here, but he could see clearly a small cottage in a small distance of an elevation and a farmer's house somewhere further the hill top. They were far enough that they don't see much of here.

"Beautiful isn't it Larkon? The small cottage there in the distance is where Olivia lives, she is adopted by a human worgen." Alura said. "And the house in the further distance is owned by a kind farmer, but he rarely ventures here…" She said.

The human nodded. "I was wondering why the draenei you spoke of has a human name…...and yes, this is beautiful, it reminds me when we were back from-"

"Elwynn?"

He nodded.

That brought a smile to her face, one that once again put Larkon's heart at ease. Yet he felt his face heat a little when she felt her hand softly taking his and started leading him down the hill until they could find a special area close to the lake to start their picnic.

The sun was still shining, but it did not hinder them, the day's gloom kept the heat in check were they did not have to need to shade themselves. Alura placed the mat for them to lay on as Larkon brought the basket, laying it down. Before he would proceed to eat with her, he gathered sticks and stones and some dried leaves.

"What are you doing Larkon?" She asked.

Larkon looked at her and placed it down along in a dry patch of grass. Where he placed the stones carefully. "Just some fire. Are you interested in catching some fish Alura?" He asked.

"Oh um sure, we can catch some fish, I well, I've never fished before." she noded.

That made the human chuckle a little at those words and made him think of an idea. "Tell you what, I teach you how to fish, and then you teach me how to swim, deal?"

"It is always a deal Larkon." She said as she watched him set up. He suddenly just took a knife from his pocket and digged through the tip of the stick, which he then repeated to the other side, to form four heads of the tip which he gently begins to sharpen it with his pocket knife. "Here, this is how you make a makeshift spear. Pretty easy isn't it?" He asked her.

She just giggled and nodded towards his direction. "Show me how you do it." She said.

He nodded and went over to the shallow waters of the lake, and wait out on the fishes that could be close enough in his range to strike with his newly created tool. "Captain Jorden used to teach me on how to catch one back when I was just fifteen years old. It took me months to know how to finally catch a fish, because I kept on spooking them because of my feet that kept on moving, and I realize then." He said as he finally strike down at random.

He then lifted it up, to let Alura see a medium sized fish struggling on at the end of his spear. It was eight inches long trout. "Easy if you know how, but it's hard to learn at first." He said as he sat back down with his knife gutting the fish.

"I see, though I have never fished, I can however proceed with a slightly...easier approach." she offered after she set the food and drink ready. She walked over to his side and focused on one fish about almost the same size as the one Larkon just caught. Taking a calm breath she focused on the fish and casted a quick holy spell of smite to instantly kill the fish almost without the fish experiencing any pain at all.

Walking over into the pond she grabbed the lifeless body of the fish gently, bringing it back over to the shore to hand to Larkon. "As a Priestess, we are taught that should we use our magic to cause harm, it is to be as quick and painless to our target and foes alike. But never use it for murder, we can always use it as a self defense."

"I see, that's a great principle." He said as he took her fish and began to gut it. He look at Alura, asking permission to feed the fishes with the guts and blood. "Can I put this on the pond Alura? Just to feed the fishes here." He said.

Alura looked at him questionably. "Isn't that cannibalism?"

"Well if you say so." He said as he tossed the chums on a fire Alura prepared with her magical abilities. He went over to the lake and washed his hand there, wiping out the remaining flesh and organic material on his hands and especially take out the smell. Afterwhich he went back ahead and plunging both of the fishes on a stick that Alura had just washed on the lake before putting it over the fire. "Hmmm…I think this is a better preparation." He said as he looked around and to see a banana tree nearby. He took the large portion of the tree's leaf and removed the fishes from the stick and wraps it around on the banana leaf.

"I've never seen fish cooked like that before." she mentioned.

"It was another trick my Captain made sure everyone in his squad knew how to do." He said before furthering his explanation. "A banana leaf is a very wet leaf, then it is dry on the outside, the water inside them holds out against a naked fire very well, and the fish then gets cooked inside out if we wrap them around with it and put them on a fire." He said.

Alura then looked at the human warrior. How she wished that his captain be still alive. "You still talk like captain Jorden is still your commander Larkon." She said before letting her opinions go. "I think you can move on from his death, you kept on feeling guilty about his death if you don't let go of his memories…." She said.

At first she thought that her words would make him mad if not angry with her. Instead to her surprise, he remained silent for a long moment, all the while prepping the fish to the banana leaves. "I know, it's just…" he started before having to make a soft sigh before continuing. "I just wish he was still here, you know one thing he wanted was for me to retire from the life of a guard. I don't know why he wanted me to do that, but I guess it was just him being tired to look at his men getting injured I guess…...but, well he got his wish on me retiring from guard duty, minus the farmer and raising a family part." He told her.

Alura looked at him sadly and just tried to get rid of the topic. It was bad enough that she had to open it up for him to remind him even further about this days with his captain. "Let's eat Larkon, shall we? I think the fish is cooked." She said.

"Sure, so what else did you bring with you? You said you made it yourself?" Larkon asked, feeling somewhat happy to discuss about another subject now while also curious to see what all Alura made.

"Yes, it was some fruit salads, which I let sticky milk mixed with melons and bananas and avocados. I had to ask from mages to froze it so that It would be like, a sweet cold treat for us and it is very delicious. And I brought some sliced bread which I made some fried sandwiches here, I used lettuce and some condiments there, with some tuna in it." She said before adding more. "Oh, and steamed corn, carrots and especially, smoked beef."

Larkon paused for only a brief moment. He had no idea that Alura had a thing for cooking which had to make him ask. "I never knew you had a thing for cooking."

"I don't, I just did it for the occasion. If I plan to have a picnic with a close friend of mine, I make sure that all of it is I did it with my own." She told him as she held up a spoon to him with some of the fruit salad she made. "Here, try some Larkon, It's delicious." She offered.

He looked at the spoon for a moment as well as the plate of fruit salad she had made. Taking a seat next to her, he dug his spoon in to scoop up a small but of the meal in front of him. He looked at it only for a short moment before sliding it inside his mouth to take a bite.

He just smiled with happy intent. "It's very delicious, It's more delicious than the food I ate in the mansion back when I was a glad-" It almost slipped from his mouth. "Nevermind, it was a little bit a long time ago can't remember what I ate." He excused.

She almost wanted to ask him what did he mean by mansion and what was he about to say back when he was something. Still she did not want to linger long on the subject and decided to bring out the drinks she had brought. Again to Larkon's surprise she pulled out a bottle of wine.

"What the...wine?"

"It was a special bottle of wine Thark kept locked down in his wine cellar underneath his Inn. He let me borrow one of them for us to enjoy."

He look at the label 'The ole Fine Wine, no alcohol content, jest yer pure grape' He smiled at those texts. Dwarves and their accent, he still laughs at such simple things. "No alcohol….nice. I don't drink any alcohol. So this would really be my thing." He said as he popped the cork with nothing but his spoon.

"I don't drink alcohol either, even though we can if we wanted in the Church. Though it's only limited. Still I tend to refrain myself from drinking the contents of it." she spoke while pulling out two glasses for him to pour for them.

He took a sip of the fine wine. "It's delicious, probably the first wine I have tasted in my life." He said.

She took a sip herself. "I agree, this is delicious, remind me to thank Thark so much for his generosity later."

"I will…." He said before his brows then narrowed down closely. He is still unsure to what to do on the coming days ahead, and the expression of his face made Alura feel uneasy. "Hey Alura, how are you holding up?" He asked.

"I'm doing great Larkon. How about you…." She replied.

"I'm a bit….uncertain."

"How so if I may ask?" she asked now taking a bite of the cooked fish she had.

He only shrugged before he answered. "I don't know, I just don't know what to do in the coming days ahead.

"Well, why not settle down and work for Thark at his Inn, he's been meaning to find more help around the place since he does most of the work himself there. And considering how it's becoming more popular now and days, he could require help from a strong person such as yourself." she suggested.

"Fylrae already up from that joint, and I would just be a hassle in there. But still, I'm not really sure. I was thinking that…...maybe I should go back to fighting." He revealed.

"Larkon, why? You're done from that department. There's no need to go back. You're friends don't want to watch you struggle." She raised. "I don't want to you to go back there, your past life owes you nothing. Don't destroy yourself physically." She concerned as she closed in on him, holding out his hand. "Promise me Larkon?"

Yet just like that he nodded. "You're right, it was just a thought from me."

Alura then stood up. "I think we can finish the food later. Lets swim…" She offered.

"Waite now, as in right now?" he asked.

"Of course right now, come on." she took his arm to help him up to his feet and drag him slightly close to the water.

She then began to strip her knee length sleeveless robes without regard for the warrior's eyes. She slipped the robe past her head revealing the white undergarments under her, covering the basic dignity of a woman.

It made the human's head spin for a bit as he was blasted with by the sight of her beautiful curves. Her perky rear molding in perfection to her fit body, and especially the curve of her breasts. Of all the women he had seen, she had to most finely shaped breast that in contrast to her size. They were perhaps the biggest out of all of the woman Larkon had experienced on the bed and seen outside from the bed. her perky breast were large yet so beautiful in a strange yet interesting way. Then there were her hips that were wide, so finely shaped, matching the curves of her slender thighs were softly thick yet toned but her rear was so round, plump, and finely shaped, it made it that more firm and perky. Molding into her breast and her fine flat stomach.

The warrior didn't realize he was staring at her more than necessary, because surely he had never seen something like this from her. It really made him aware of his own masculinity as he felt himself getting aroused by her sight. Then the draenei finally went to the water, leaving the hypnotized warrior alone on land.

"Ahm….." He licked his lips unconsciously. "I'll-"

The draenei looked over to her human 'friend' "Come here in the water Larkon…"

"I don't have any substitute for my undergarments Alura, I can discard my pants and shirt leaving me nothing but my underwear and my underpants, but I don't have anything else to replace them once I get out." He excused which the draenei quickly dismisses it.

"It is alright, just remove your boots and tunic and you should be fine in just your trousers." she answered.

Without nothing to complain he just gave in and slowly strip himself also till the only thing that left him is his trousers and dipped himself to the cool waters till he is in waist deep waters. "Like I said Alura, I don't know how to swim." He said as he stopped himself from going into further.

She just smiled and made her way over to him. Softly taking his hands once more into hers. "Then allow me to show you." she spoke softly while gently moving backwards having him follow her as she lead him deeper in the water. She blushed as she look at his image, it's not everyday for her to stroll around waist deep waters half naked.

Her eyes could see that this body had come through tough roads if this is how they are shaped, battle hardened and so forth. "Were going deeper Larkon, just take my hand, you can use it as a leverage so that you can float." She told, still retaining that blue of her cheeks.

"Okay…" he answered, accidently looking down to her breasts, watching how they slowly jiggled from each step they took until finally they were deep enough in the water for them to be submerged in the water. "I can't feel anything now under my feet Alura….." Larkon complained.

"It's okay, just hold…" She said as she guided the human that was clinging on to her arm. "Now, just gently, let go….." She said which the human was about to raise his concerns but she interjected first. "I'll promise that I won't let you drown."

He held on for a short moment, every second releasing his arm off hers before he eventually was able to let go of her. He suddenly panicked as his nose and mouth got water inside. His feet and arms thrashed before suddenly holding on to back to Alura's arm.

"It's okay, I'm here, I'm here…" She reassured as she let him cling on to her. "I'm sorry for that Larkon." She said to him, his head now soaked with the waters of the lake.

He breathed hard catching his breath as much as his body would allow him to. Yet when he looked back to Alura's soft beautiful smile he felt his body calming down slowly from the instinctive fear he had just a moment ago. The feel of her soft delicate skin to his arm also help make his body relax more and get slowly used to the position he was in the water.

He looked up to her, her hair now soaked as he is as he was close in to the draenei. Hr could see outright the glow in her eyes which strikes him deeply. Her arms, her legs, her breast, her rear, her face, everything about her is perfect and he could not deny how beautiful she is, and he can't deny how he loved her. He admits it now, no strings attached onto his mind that he truly indeed love her, not by her beauty alone, but everything else of her. The softness of her voice, the gentleness of her soul and the kindness of her heart, it all led up.

"Let's get into shallower waters Larkon….." She said, seemingly her eyes averted from his as if she was about to do something.

"Um sure, sorry about…"

"It is fine." she answered, guiding him slowly to the shallow ends until the water was now at their waists and their feet were touching the ground. "I just can't keep on making you drown does it? You immediately panicked….." She chuckled.

He then sat down on the shallow waters. "I'm sorry Alura, It's hard to learn this I need to admit." He said.

"It's okay, everyone has trouble learning in the beginning, it just takes time and practice." She suddenly bent down and grab his arm with her hands. Accidently giving him a view of her down her watery ripping breasts as they jiggled from her movements while the water from the lake dripped down from her neck down inside in between them. "But we can still have some fun here in the shallow end." she offered with a soft smile.

"Yeah sure." he chuckled and took a hand to splash a big wave of water all over her. Followed by laughing at the sight of how soaking wet he got her from his little prank of fun.

In return for that, Alura splashed a wave of water all over him as payback for his little trick. Something got them both laughing as a result that they were both now soaking wet.

The laughs waned down after some moments. They just had stared against each other. Alura then followed her eyes to the burn of his arm. "Does it still bother you Larkon?" She asked.

He looked over to the burn scar on his arm from dealing with the fires of fel magic. As he rubbed it slightly he felt a sharp twitch of pain. Yet that was the least that bothered him for the words of the Warlock still haunted the very depths of the back of his mind.

"How could a mongrel like you be with a maiden like her?" He remembered the words of the Blood Elf. How the very meaning of them tore him apart from deep within. How he knew he did not deserve her for not only were those words true to him, but he knew that the Warlock was still out there and will come back for her.

He retracted his hand from her, he didn't even gave her the chance to touch it. He was just so unsure of himself. "It's fine Alura….."

"But you don't sound fine…" she comments, softly placing a soft hand on his arm, showing her deep concern and comfort for him.

"You don't believe me in telling I'm fine don't you?" He replied before chucking. "Well you're right about that. It's something that I don't want to talk about. It was just about a guy who told me something I don't want to hear." He said.

"Then tell me, please, if it is the source of a form of conflict you are face please, share this information with me so I may can help you."

He sighed, there was no reason to not tell no longer. If he truly trust her then he can tell her. This is his own choice to make. "I was a gladiator when I went missing for the rest of the year. I survived the skirmish in draenor, I lived, I ran, I got captured, got turned into a slave and fight as a gladiator, I killed many to just make my way back home, and that is that." He bluntly said, he didn't want to go to the details any longer.

She gasped at the answer to her question and the truth of what had happened. The answer shocking her so much she brought her hands to her mouth.

"I've done some really bad stuff. So much that, on the day I finally did earn my freedom...I was...I felt disappointed because I wanted more from the battle. I wanted to fight and just unleash all this rage for everything Moira had taken from me. Because of him everyone I know was killed, because of him I was forced into slavery to kill everyday just to stay alive and fulfill my promise to you. I had fought in the arenas so much, was desperate to come home...I. I guess Urak was right about what Thrall spoke. My desire to get back became so much that I ended up losing who I used to be….…"

That was when something happened that Larkon did not expect. He felt Alura rush over and hug him tightly, laying her soft head to his battle hardened muscular chest. Tears of sadness and remorse for all his suffering pouring from her eyes.

"Larkon….." She looked up to him with teary eyes. Their laughs and their treat got left behind when emotions took them. "I'm so sorry Larkon, I never thought….I'm so sorry."

He replied by simply hugging her tightly back, letting her head rest on his chest as he himself felt tears forming in his eye. "It's okay, you have nothing to be sorry about. It's not your fault, it was never your fault, and never will be your fault." He then slowly picks up her chin and forced her to look up on him. "Everything I did, I did because I promised, I promised inside my tent that I would be back, even if it means I don't get a single second of sleep for the rest of my days. " He told.

He the pulled away from her and made some small distance. "I wish…...some of me wished that I should have died alongside my Captain. Because every time I close my eyes, I see….." He stopped before inhaling for a moment to what he would about to say. "I see those blood red eyes waking me up in the middle of the night in a dim room."

He felt a soft hand cup his cheek to force him to look down to her. "Show them to me…"

"Wha…?"

"It's something us Holy Priests and Priestess have been developing. Something to help us understand what troubles those in need and allow us to help in what way we can. If your willing that is…" Alura offered.

With nothing to say, he nodded and offered his head, bowing it down for her to lean on him.

Alura slipped into the nothingness. She was now deep inside Larkon's consciousness. Yet she could not see anything other than a patch of light in the middle of the room…...And there he was, standing in the middle of the dim light, unmoving with a sword in his hand while a pile of corpses was around him, blood wetting the boots beneath his feet. This is the nightmare that he spoke of.

She tried to take a step forward, but then she stopped immediately when one of the corpses moved. She did not know why Larkon inside his nightmare did not move, nor show any signs of emotions or reactions. He just stood there, with a sword in his hand, his head hung down, his face obstructed by the shadows.

"Larkon….." Alura heard faintly. She went all silent when the corpses suddenly stood up. All of them, now lighten up by a dim light. The draenei could only gasp when she saw those faces. Blood red shotted eyes, mangled nose, face, and mouth while blood oozes down on their face while they limped towards the human. She could recognize some of them, and Jorden was in the middle facing him, with a face of utter horror that she could not imagine.

'Is this what he sees every night?' She asked herself, her heart beat at the true fear. Is this what her friend experienced in his sleep while she has the luxury? The draenei began to tear up.

What ever breeze of air she felt, it all went down as she heard a cackle and a crack. All of the corpses facing Larkon dislocated their jaws inhumanely, their mouths wide open with their fanged teeth.

"LARKON!" She suddenly screams for him as she runs down for him, but everything disappeared in a flash.

It changed onto an illuminated she saw the events of what occurred following what she believed to be what was Captain Jorden's death.

There, Jorden laid bloody, beaten, battered, and critically damaged with his legs broken to dust underneath rubbled. He was grabbed by dark figure wearing dark silver plated armor with death runes underneath an old tattered concealing hooded cloak. The figure proceeded to take his helmet off but she still could not see the figure's face. Yet what happened next made her almost scream. For the figure dug its teeth through Jorden's throat and proceeded to eat him alive. Spewing gallons of blood and gore everywhere as the look of Jorden's face was of horrible agony. She could even hear the figure chew through the meat and bone of Larkon's captain as if the figure was starving to death for flesh and blood.

She tooked a step back but her little steps was enough to make noise. In the most horrible image she could ever imagine, the unknown suddenly removed its hood cloak to reveal unkempt shoulder-length black hair. She could only gasp as the head suddenly made cracks to turn into her direction in the scariest of ways. Oh the face made her faint as her tears covered her eyes. Seeing the frozen grey rotting skin of a face with a jaw that had larger more exposed and vicious-looking fanged teeth and sinister blue glowing eyes. All of which covered with tons of blood and gore spewing from it's mouth as it still devoured the pieces of Jorden's throat. Soon letting out a terrifying screech as it lunged in at her.

She snapped back. Alura looked at him, holding up his head at the level of hers. She was unable to comment on anything on.

"See Alura? Nightmares…" Larkon said in a surprisingly calm manner.

She tried to say or at least find words to say, yet she was speechless, still forever terrified of what she saw. Even more terrified that it was all real and that it was what happened to Jorden in his final moments, all in front of Larkon.

"Some of it are my dreams, some of it are my memories that kept on repeating….." He said before he looked up to her, narrowing his brow to tell her what he wanted to tell her. "That's why I always said I'm fine Alura, because you should never be friends with a person who went through what I went through."

"Larkon I...what was that thing that killed Jorden…?" she asked still terrified of the terrifying undead creature she had saw in his dreams or nightmares.

"I don't know….I don't remember." he mumbled. "Let's put those aside Alura, and enjoy the rest of the food, that you prepared." He recommended.

"I don't want to let go of these things suddenly Larkon. Because I want to make sure that everything else is put aside that we don't have to look back." She said before remembering his words. "Just focus on life, lean on me if you needed a shoulder. I can bear it also, you don't have to be alone in this."

"Alura I don't mean for…"

"But I want to." She said reaching over and giving him a very soft hug. "Please, I want to…"

He nodded. "Well, thanks Alura. I owe you so many things.


	36. Where are you!

The human awaked. His eyes still feeling the morning heaviness from it. He sat up and extends a yawn as the birds chirped outside the window. The air was fresh as it could be as the soft cushions messaged his skin. It was a day that was too beautiful to describe. He turned his head back when a moan escapes.

He looked back to see a figure of blue sleeping beside him. She had white hair, which was seemingly familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it. The woman turned and revealed her face, she was beautiful that was the first thing he noticed, and he can't deny that. She then yawned herself as the morning loom also takes over her, inhaling the fresh air with a satisfied smirk before exhaling it back outside to recycle. She looked over to her direction to see him in quite a shock.

"Love, are you okay?" She asked, leaning over to him, touching his shoulders with her soft blue hands. She was small compared to him, but it only added its beauty to her.

"What? Oh…" He mumbled, the woman called him 'love' a term that is given to a husband from his wife. "Um, um….." He murmured, unable to respond as the woman's beautiful face was so close to him before finally giving a kiss on the lips that turned his head around.

"Maybe it's just the morning sickness my husband." She told as she broke the kiss.

She called him a husband. When did he ever become a husband to a woman? And he asked himself to where he is right now, but that thought turned off as a cry then was heard, alerting the two married couple looked over to the carriage next to their bed. A soft smiled spread across the beautiful woman's face as she sat up from bed and softly reached down towards the crying baby to hold her in her arms.

The human observed the maternal affection. "What is happening?" That was the first thing he thought for himself at the sight.

"Oooh. Shh….there, there. Mommy's here..." the woman calmly soothe as she held the baby up to her arms, gently cradling the child. Just like herself it was blue and it had short white hair to indicate a female. The woman turned to him, seeing that she was feeding the baby with her breasts.

"The baby is hungry, and perhaps she wants to play with us once she is done." The blue woman informed him.

He noticed now that she was indeed naked also, all of her privacy exposed to his strange eyes. She was something that a man like him could not reach but somehow he did and he didn't know how, he reached it as the woman called him 'her love and husband' with a child that she strongly indicated to be his.

The woman finally sat back down to bed seeing that the child calmed and falls back to its smiling face. She carried the baby along with her arms as she went to the bed, leaning to him who was also naked.

She offered him to hold the child and he didn't hesitate to cradle her in his arms also, if he is the father then he is responsible.

"What a perfect image for a loving family am I right love?" The woman asked him as she rested her head on his shoulders as her finger was twirling around on the baby for the baby to play with.

The man turned to her also, nodding. "Yes, it's perfect."

* * *

A knock comes from the door, alerting Larkon to finally open his eyes from the dream he was having. His mind was clouded, confused, just why would he have a dream such as that with Alura. He knew he didn't deserve her yet why was his mind torturing him with such thoughts. He heard the knock sound from the door once more and got up from the bed to answer. He was staying at another Inn since he at least made enough money to provide for himself for at least another week.

Yet when he answered the door, he was surprised to see Stormwind Guards at the other end of the door. Strange, he hadn't been fighting in any illegal fights or anything since two weeks ago. Yet what did they want with him now.

"Larkon correct?" the guard asked.

"Um yeah…" he answered.

One of the guards tried to grab him and in impulse, Larkon backed out in confusion, pushing the hand back away from him. "What are you doing?" He demanded, as the guard tried again to grab him by his arm, and this time it forced Larkon to push him back as his demeanor changed defensively.

The guards just finally snapped and rushed him out, grabbing his arm. Larkon pinned the guard against the wall, his elbow on to his neck before the other guard jumped out on his back, grabbing his neck as he tried to choke him out.

Larkon was moving his head from side to side, in hoping that he would headbutt him, but with few successes. Larkon then just began to use his bigger frame and use his shoulders and elbows to shake him off and hit him in every opportunity, and in result it messed up the apartment as drawers, books, and unlighted candles were thrown all over the place.

Larkon made success as the guard finally let go. He turned back and strike him with his knee, but the other guard recovered and pummeled him against the wall. His head bounced back against the wooden floor, causing a gash on his brow for blood to draw. The guard caught his neck and head, bending down to trap him in a headlock.

"Larkon, for deserting your unit in the time of war, by the orders of General Moira you are hereby placed under arrest." the lead guard had spoke, just right before he took a club from his side and whacked Larkon on the side of the head to knock him out.

* * *

She had not stopped smiling ever since she returned home from yesterday with Larkon after their time together. A small blue blush spreading across her soft light blue cheeks as she found herself thinking about it over and over and over again and again and again non stop. Even as she was eating her usual breakfast at Thark's Inn she still did not stop her thoughts of the moment she and Larkon shared with each other. She wanted to have more events like that with him, she wanted to spend more time with him.

"So, how'd it go?" she heard her best friend ask her as the Worgen took a seat in front of the draenei with her breakfast, a big smile on her furry face.

"How what go?" Alura asked her close friend.

"You know, the thing with Larkon yesterday, how'd it go?" Kinar asked again.

Alura looked down in embarrassment but she decided to answer. "It was….it was pleasant. I wouldn't forget it anytime soon." She admitted.

That placed a playful smirk on her friend's muzzle. "So, what is he like...down there?" she joked.

Alura then reacted. "Kinar! Don't say stuff like that! We were not...ahem-" She calmed. "We were just having a nice picnic by the bond. We shared some things, personal things, and take a dip in the pond. And the funny thing is Kinar, Larkon doesn't know how to swim." Alura quipped.

"Oh I see, so did you try and show him the way to swim? By offering somethings like skinny dipping with him maybe?" Kinar joked while she struggled to hold her laughter from the pervertedness of it.

Alura just grunted to her friend. "Kinar…" She mumbled but let it go. "We….we had some clothes on of course. It was so funny Kinar! Though somewhat embarrassing for us two, like you know? I do admit." She said before adding. "And the funny part was, how Larkon thrashed like a fish on land. It was so funny to watch him dear me." She told with a laugh.

"Oh alright I'll stop. Still I'm very glad for you two to finally spend time with each other and move on from that...well it's best we not talk about it. But I'm glad things are getting better now…"

Alura then sighed. "Yeah, I'm glad. But…..I realized something when he told me about this nightmares. I was such a nuisance. When Larkon and I finally were able to talk when we were saved, I kept on pushing him, on how he can move on from whatever things that were haunting him. I never realized it was that horrifying to what he had to go through….." Alura mentioned.

"What did you see in these nightmares?" Kinar asked in concern.

"He doesn't want me to tell anyone about it. And I have to keep that. I don't know his reasons but I think he just doesn't want any other friends to be involved in something that he had to face. And even then he feels bothered that he had told me." The draenei reasoned.

"I see, have you thought about bringing him to see either your mom or the high priestess for help?" she suggested.

"I wanted to but it is up for him. Larkon seems alright now. He can smile, he can joke, and well…..my favorite part is that he can tell me things that he needed to again." She said before adding to the comment. "I was just so afraid for him when we finally went back home, it was like as if….something or someone was taking him and I couldn't do anything." Alura muttered as she was gesturing to what she was saying.

"Oh okay. So any plans you wish to do with him now. Are you finally going to tell him how you feel and...do it?" Kinar then added. "I know how you feel about him Alura, you can't deny it no longer. This….priestesshood is not for you Alura. The high priestess told me for all the years that she stayed as a high priest you are the only priestess she met that was doubting her priestess hood. Perhaps this isn't your life Alura. I myself also. Maybe you are destined to have a simple life, living in a simple while with a family." Kinar reasoned.

For once, Alura didn't deny. "I know Kinar, I admit. I do love him, I do. But I'm just….afraid not because of Larkon turning away, but like as if, if I admit it to him, and love him, something would happen to him that would break me entirely that I could not recover of….." Alura replied.

"Well, why not go out on another date with him, just talk to him about your fears before confessing to him? You know Alura, he doesn't have the years tha-"

Alura then interjected. "I know, Kinar, I know. That's what I fear, he doesn't have the years to live with me….and you..and others. That's what I fear the most." She finally admitted. Covering her eyes with her palms.

"Well, think of it like this and this is what the high priestess told me in case I find someone who has more years then me. She said that yes he could live long after your passing, but wouldn't it be better than to let him live those years with you in true joy and happiness and blessed with a beautiful life then nothing at all?"

"She told me that also….." Alura revealed letting her palms off her eyes.

Kinar then smiled. "Then? Are you afraid? If I go there are others who are still with you, your mother, your father, and if possible…" Kinar then looked at her in the eyes deeply. "Your children Alura….."

"My children?" Alura asked.

"I don't know. A Boy? A Girl? Either way I want to see your half-human-draenei baby. And I want to be it's aunty!" Kinar exclaimed in happiness.

That got the Draenei laughing a little. "Well you would make a perfect aunty."

"You decide Alura if you want that life. I'm going for a date. I'm not choosing yet. Like this Worgen Hunter I met the other day at the Church as he was just so...well let's just say he reminds me allot of Larkon in a way if Larkon was a Worgen like me." Kinar said. "I'm going to make him fight for me then I would choose!" Kinar said with pretended diabolical tone.

"Kinar…..that's not how it works! You have to-"

"Just like what you did to Larkon?" Kinar intercepted.

Alura then finally admits truthfully. "Yes just like what I did to Larkon…."

"Well I best be leaving to meet with the Worgen Hunter soon, I wish you the best of luck and…"

The two suddenly hear Thark's voice groaning as he drowsily made his way down the steps, still suffering from the huge hang over from the drinking contest he had with Quon the other day.

"Aye I feel like one struck in de head by an ogre…" Thark rubbed his head.

"Oh Thark there you are. Um I hope you don't mind if I bring a date I'm going with here." Kinar smiled nervously.

The dwarf rubbed his nose and eyes with frustration. "Aye lass, it ain't gon be long till one of ye er both of ye gon be comin in me rest place with swollen bellies." Thark commented.

"So is that a yes or no?" Kinar asked.

"If the lad is good he is good like me Larkon fer Alura, I give that blessing fer her. But if the lad is a crook I be blowin his baby makers to impotence eh." He said as he suddenly whipped out his pistol right out from nowhere and accidently shot down his own chandelier. "Flim, flammin, flem fer ass hat mother flamin!" He was just muttering in contained anger as he looked at the mess he just made.

"Oh come on Thark he's a hunter like you used to be I think you'll like him. I'll bring him over right now, Alura would you like to meet him?

"Nei lass, I be flemmin, scrapping ma own mess right now eh!" He said as he was kicking the chandelier. "And I don't want ye messin with that worgen hunter yerself. But How about that other captain, the big lad. He seems ged fer ye." Thark muttered. "Ah, why the flamin she elf is still not wakin from her sleep. She be a night elf yet she doesn't act like one. I want her to clean this up!"

"Oh come on Thark you haven't even met him yet. And besides, the captain has someone else! I'll go get him right now." Kinar suggested as she quickly rushed out of the Inn to go get her new Worgen boyfriend.

"Aye Alura, chase Kinar fer me will ya." He said as he shakes his head which was hurting him bad while going to the corner to take a broom. "I'm just gon clean this up. I ain't opening fer a bit." He said.

* * *

He did not know how long he was out, or how much damage the powerful club had done to him. All he knew was he somehow regained consciousness but found it hard to open his eyes. He struggled, and struggled, and struggled to pry them open yet he was not able to succeed as much. His best bet was he felt too weak to even move or do anything.

"Have a nice nap?" he heard a familiar voice asked him. The familiarity and fear from it allowed him to open his eyes fully to confirm his fears. Sitting right in front of him was his former general who sent him and his squad to die out there.

Larkon wanted to speak out yet when he opened his mouth he tasted cloth. He struggled the straps that he now notices that it imprisoned his arms. His eyes wide open at the situation, trying to gather his own thoughts to what is happening. Larkon only can struggle as the General approaches with a cloth on his hand with a bowl of water on the other.

"Cheers to Captain Jorden." Moira muttered as he suddenly puts a cloth on his nose and then began to pour water on it, choking him out, unable to breath as he can only breath in the water that the wet cloth has. It made him choke till the ordeal was done, putting his head down as Moira removed the cloth from his nose to finally let him have room to breathe. "I heard some rumors that Jorden has a wife here in the City, and to add the cherry on the cake, she was a high elf along with a young daughter. Ooooooh how lucky I am." Moira mentioned that spook the former Gladiator, concerned immediately for their own well being.

Larkon tried speaking, biting through the binds of the cloth tied around his mouth and the water cloth being drowned down his face.

"You know, I do recall the penalty for desertion was death. But before we do that, we're going to have some fun together you and I. Because you have been a very annoying thorn in my side in my chances to claim the maidenhood of that perfect specimen of a woman."

His words inflame his mind. His breathing becomes heavy as he turned his head on to Moira with wide and angered eyes.

"That thorn is you of course." Moira told him before adding a sentence that triggered the warrior to no end. "Or of course, she finds you here, finds out she can't get you out because you'll be dead in a week, and tries to deal with me." The general maliciously smiled.

At this point he was becoming even more enraged as he tried struggling through his binds, not caring that they were hurting him to the point of drawing blood. He wanted to murder this man for ruining his life, and causing the death of the only family he grew up to.

"Got to ask, see she is the most finest specimen there is but there is one little problem I'm facing you know. I've never liked children, ever. Especially bastard hybrids. Thoughts?" he asked with a smirked.

The gladiator just looks up to him with murderous intent, he just wants to castrate this man and kill him, yet does not have the power to do so. "Some metal stick for me please." Moira then called for.

A guard arrived with a few metal sticks and handed them to Moira.

"Well to be honest, I have no intentions of marrying her, to me she just another hole to fuck." he heard the general spoke before he smacked him in the jaw hard, really hard. "It's just perhaps I may fuck her more than the rest, that is all…" Moira spoke before he smashed a metal stick at Larkon's nose.

Larkon knew from the force that his jaw and nose were broken by now. Blood drips from the tip of his mouth and nose, his mouth hung as he tried to gasp for air. He could already feel the swelling on his cheeks just seconds after the pain registered. It was an overwhelming sense of agony. The pain of a blunt object striking down your face is just far different from a whip that strikes your back, it's like as if your own soul gets separated from your body for a moment before going back to its physical container.

He could only hang his head to his side as he tried to gather his wits, still clouded with a form of painful dizziness he received from the bastard of a man.

"I always hated Jorden. Now that he's dead, some fucker like you replaces him, and then I got the pleasure to kill you, then fuck his wife, and probably his daughter and then the draenei. Easy pickings for me. My drive is…." He shrugged. "Well you call, unending, and they looooove some big stick from me." Moira chuckled in his own joke as he strikes his arm. Larkon could feel the bone break.

"However you on the other hand have been a pain in my ass since day one!" Moira shouted before he smashed a metal stick on Larkon's knee, breaking it painfully and continued to smash there even after the damage was done. "Because of you, you made me look like a fool in front of King Varian! Because of you I had to waste a number of my precious time and resources just to find a way to get rid of you. But you just don't know when to fuck off!" the general screamed as he started beating Larkon in the chest until both of Larkon's ribs were broken.

Blood drips from his mouth. The sense of agony stops him from feeling anything other than pain. He looked up to him, close to death if he could say, as his face and body bruised, his nose bleeds just as his mouth, struggling to find some air because he kept on breathing blood. It was as painful as he could imagine what definition of pain is. Nothing else is in his mind other than feeling and realizing the pure sense of physical pain.

"Cracks, violet abdomen, and some broken ribs and a broken femur. You'll live." Moira just casually said before hitting his head hard enough to make it bleed. He would just smile at the sight of him paralyzed in pain. "That was just an addition…" Moira told him before throwing away the metal stick.

With a snap of his fingers, a guard entered and handed Moira a three-pronged chain-bladed whip.

"Now last time I forced Jorden to punish you for making me look like a fool in front of the Royal Family. So this time, you won't have his mercy…"

The guards hosted Larkon up and tied his hands to the ceiling to string him high. Tearing the rest of his clothes off to leave him nude to the world. The former guard yelled in a muffle agony scream as he felt Moira slash into his broken ribs with one lash of the bladed whip.

"That's one." He said before striking his arm, making it gash and bleed. "That's two." Counted the general before finalizing it on his back, causing him to shout in a muffled scream. "That's three, and I had enough staring at your face." He told him before punching him on the cheek. "That's just a keeping for me." He commented before looking behind him beyond. "Guards, get some bandages on this dog, make sure he lives." he said.

* * *

Alura had been sitting at the same table and chair for the past five or so minutes and such, waiting to meet this Worgen Hunter Kinar had met. She was curious to see who it was and to meet him in a way. It was around that time she saw the Night Elf Huntress enter the Inn from the back, looking as if she was worn out from doing something.

"Aye there ye are lass, where da heck ye been?" Thark then looked at Alura. "Aye Alura, Kinar and dem friend of hers can't get in here, she be takin that fool outside or be crying on his funeral, aye got to clean me mess." He warned to which he got a nod from, before leaving off to tell her. He then watched her leaved, sighing that the ordeal was at least resolved. He turns his attention back on the night elf who was suddenly preparing milk from the table never minding what the dwarf had said. "Oi lass what che been doin?" He asked once more but was ignored when Fylrae went up to the stairs, which forced the dwarf to follow her.

Thark was scratching his nose as he went to her room. She watched the night elf poured the glass of milk on a bowl which her feline companion drinks from, who seemed to be sick. The elf was on her knees petting the feline as she laid down on the floor, moaning and groaning. "Aye lass?"

"I apologise Thark, Kuura has not been herself lately, she has been sick with some kind of sickness."

"Sickness, what kind, what are her symptoms Lass?"

"I don't know. She left off a week back then then didn't come back for a week, I worry I thought I lost her during those times but then she came back but is now sick. I'm worried for her, she's been my closest and dearest friend from the moment she was born." She said as she repeatedly pet her companion who was now worn out after just simply sipping a bowl of milk.

Thark then approached and kneels down on her. "Hmmm…" He said focusing his hand on her then, petting her and then trailing his hand on her stomach. "Yep. Easy peasy, she be carryin cubs." He concluded.

"What? Kuura expecting Kittens? How do you know this?"

"Aye that be easy lass. In me spare time not being a sharpshooter for de Alliance. I took up a hobby to study females who be expecting. Since there be a number of times I had to help the horses and other animals and people with childbirth. Took interest in it when me wife was expecting me wee lad at the time. And trust me lass, she was a woman who would scare even Sargeras on how expecting made her more cranky and more vicious of a woman." the dwarf joked and petted the Striped Frostsaber behind the ears softly which earned a soft purr from the large cat.

Fylrae was just shocked. "Is this what you have been doing Kuura all these weeks? Meeting a male?" She asked, smiling before rubbing her stomach. "Well, you got a cub here inside. And that makes the family grow bigger." She said before

"Cubs lass, she be expecting cubs, two I think."

That brought a smile to her face before commenting about her ignorance. "Though Thark I'm quite surprised I wasn't expecting. Despite me being a night elf, I wasn't interested so much about mother nature since…...well since my brother goes which I had accepted. It says something about….."

"Aye how about you lass? Fer ye and a family of yer own."

She shook her head. "I'm not interested on laying down for a male for myself. I just don't have the drive for such travesties. It is better for me to adopt some nobodies as my children than to have my own children." She told him, patting the cat who was now asleep.

"Aye, I can understand ye lass, some just are not ready or ever prepared for that sort of thing. But that is why they have such orphanages. To give both the child and adult a family together that neither of them could have." He spoke before standing up. "Look lass, I do apologise for my temper with ye back when finding Alura. But I am deeply grateful for ye helping me back there and even standing toe to toe with ye own flesh and blood just to help me get her back. I know that was not easy on ye. So if ye ever need a home, ye be always welcome here. That and I be in need of an assistant to help me keep this shit hole in tack for business."

She then looks back. "Well…...Thark?"

The dwarf just casually looks up at the taller elf. "Hmmmmmm?" 

She then smiled and leans down to hug him. It surprised the dwarf to no end. "Thank you. I'm…...I'm." She mumbled, missing her words out as she began to cry when he said those words to her. "Can I really have a home here?" She asked, looking at him with her eyes covered in tears,

"Aye of course lass, it's the least I can do for all all ye done for me. Now we best get this placed cleaned up because I be needin it fixed before open time and meeting this Worgen Kinar be bringing with her."

She didn't let go.

Thark smiled. "Well maybe we be just get settled in down first on this. Aye be bad luck to deny a hug from a cryin elf." He said as he finally hugged back.

As Thark requested, Alura stood outside to insure no one came in the Inn until it was ready for opening. Also to see who this new boyfriend of Kinar was. It was amazing how fast things were moving. It seemed it was only yesterday she remembered her and Kinar taking their vows of chastity together. Now here they were with boyfriends. Well Alura wasn't sure if Larkon was her boyfriend yet but she knew she loved him deeply still.

"Hey Alura there you are." she heard her Worgen friend speak and arrive. With her was a solid black Wogen that looked shorter than the other males in their beast form yet he looked as if he was tall as Larkon.

Speaking of tall, he sure was as muscular as Larkon and well built. He looked frightening in a way with his powerful, two-legged body which sported long fangs, dagger-like claws, gold eyes, black coarse hair, pointed ears, and a long snout.

"Alura this is Damian of Gilneas, a novice yet very well trained Hunter who has chosen to follow the Path of the Light." Kinar spoke happily as she brought the frightening hunter up to her friend. "Damian this is my closest and dearest friend Alura of the Church of the Holy Light."

"Hi." Alura waved.

The worgen just smiled and reverts to his human to form to shake her hand back. He was just about equal to her in height after becoming human and a little bit slender. Still he was a humble looking figure in human form due to still having muscular form to his slender body. He had a soft smile to him that showed his personality that was synonymous of what he looked on the outside. He had a huge bite mark scar around the area close to his throat.

"He can't speak, he's mute because of the….." Kinar then gestured of a bite neck, crossing her fingers on her throat and in the end the worgen turned human smiled. "It's how he also became a Worgen."

"Oh I see, I'm sorry I did not know Damian." Alura apologise.

The mute Worgen simply nodded softly and reverted back to his Worgen form.

"Oooooh Thaark! He's here! Come and meet him!" Kinar shouted across the dining room before hearing the sound of footsteps she needed to hear. He then appeared with the Night Elf. "Hi Thark this is the Worgen I spoke of. He isn't the prideful type but rather my type, or what they call 'The humble Novice' Type of person. I like him." Kinar said.

The dwarf then seemed skeptical, narrowing his brows as he approached the worgen before being infront of him. "Hmmm, kinda skinny looking. Yer worgen form is a novice, ye grew mentally anyway."

Damian's ears moved low as he hung his head low and little in embarrassment.

"Alright lad ye got my ged side. Probably yer not one of those snot nosed kids that thinks their the most handsome men in the world am I right laddie?" The dwarf expressed.

Once again the Worgen nodded with a wide smile.

"Oi, talk, what's the iffy cat got yer tongue?"

The boy changed back to his human form and crosses his throat with his fingers, revealing his scar.

"Aye yer even skinnier lookin, and a mute, aye humble lookin individual. Alright ye Kinar he got me good side. Take care!" Thark quickly doved off from them surprising the dwarf. "I just gettin tired fer a moment. Where's the big lad?" The dwarf asked referring to Larkon. "He visited me shop late last night in me shop and told me that he was free from taking orders from a merchant's ars, and be visitin us fer good ole times."

"I'm not sure, he said he was going to meet me here at your Inn for breakfast, does anyone know where he was staying at?" Alura asked.

"Um, I'm not sure either." Kinar changed backed into her human form. "I haven't had much time to interact with him since he came back so I don't know where he stays at anymore." she shrugged.

"Durel told me that he stays in an inn just a 15 minute walk from here, so it is not far. I guess I'll see him myself because Durel said that his wife is due today and wants all of us to witness it." Alura volunteered.

"Alright then let's go check on him."

"No, no it's okay I'll go check on him, just go on and have some fun on your date with Damian Kinar I will be right back." Alura answered not giving Kinar the chance to argue.

Damian made a small hand sign, his way of speaking sometimes to Kinar asking who Larkon was.

"Larkon is a friend of mine, he'll be your friend in the future I'm sure of it. Though he is a bit of a hard head." Kinar speaked.

"Alright guys I'm going to visit Larkon for a moment I'll see you later." She said as she rushed off to go find Larkon.

True to Durel's words, it took her fifteen minutes to arrive at the Inn she believed Larkon was staying at. Her mind racing with a number of things she wanted to do with him today or talk to him about. Again feeling excitement just to be with him just made her feel like she was one of those school girls flirting with the cutest guy around.

The Inn didn't look too busy as it appeared to have opened already, when she entered and asked which room Larkon was in, the inn keeper told her that he was on the second floor.

She happily walked through the stairs and find the room that the innkeeper referred. She still thought about their conversation the other day, being alone in the lake. Oh how this momentum could really go into. She admits now that her attraction to him is taking her further, that there would be a time that she will admit to him her own feelings, and perhaps that is nearer than it should be.

She knocked and waited for a reply but there was none. She knocked again, this time a little bit harder. "Larkon are you there?" She asked behind the closed door.

Grunting in frustration she knocked harder and the door gave way. "Larkon it's me Alura, just checking up and see how're you doing?"

No answer.

"Larkon?"

Again no answer, now she was growing worried. She opened the door to surprisingly see that it was unlocked. She pushed the door open to find that her worries were without in doubt true.

The draenei gasp as she watched the image. Mirrors were broken, glasses were sprawled across the floor and a ripped shirt that laid on a chair with a table broken in half in the middle of it, like as if a fight broke through in here. She had no idea what happened to him now and where he is. It's all getting becoming weary for her as it happened again, him disappearing.

"Larkon?!" She shouted as she runs and looks around the area, room to room, desk to desk just to find him. "Larkon where are you?!" Alura shouted. Looking over the looming light, seeking to find him.


	37. I need your help

He had all the reasons to be the happiest man in the world right now. With his wife giving birth to their son just recently, Durel should feel beyond happy and overjoyed. Yet deep down he felt worry, anxiety, and fear. Not for himself or family, but for his close friend Larkon. He had not heard or seen Larkon in days and fear began to creep up into his mind thinking of the possibility of something terrible happening.

"So Durel how's it feel to be a father now?" one of the guards asked him as they were heading to the dungeons. Durel had plans to apply for a missing person's case for Larkon.

"A bit bitter sweet." Durel shrugged, never mentioning why. He was already in the prison where dungeons are allowed for torturous experience for the prisoners who got caught spying or something like from the other faction to take out information from them. He doesn't want to see this place, it always kills him in the inside.

"The general keeps on visiting this prison in the last three days. He said he was a deserter that traded his loyalty for the Horde." The guard mentioned. "He's over there at the end of the rows of the cell."

"But don't we have a current truce with the Horde regarding the matter of the Dark portal. Surely there must be some kind of mistake."

"Well either way the general is ready to continue the interrogation and he wants you to bring him out and strap him high."

With a sad sigh, Durel compiled and made his way over to the of the rows of the cell. It was no secret even to King Varian that General Moira strongly and deeply despises all of the Horde. Yet one would think that Moira wouldn't be dumb enough to risk breaking the Truce with the Horde at a time like this, so why all the brutality on someone suspected of deserting?

Durel looked at the prisoner, he looked like a scrambled egg. Bleeding head, dried blood on the floor and his arm was looking like it dislocated from the socket of its elbow.. He looked at him with a narrowed brow, he was shirtless that is for sure with lots of scars already but-

Durel swallowed with concern and worry. The scars on his back. He always remembered the patterns of the blows when Moira forced Jorden hit him. "Larkon?"

The prisoner did not even look, move, or even speak. Just sitting there at the corner almost like a lifeless statue that barely could breathe the air in the room.

"By the Light what's going on…"

"Alright let's get this poor bastard up, Moira wants to try a new form of torture on him that we've been trying on for the past few months." a guard spoke opening the cell door of Larkon's prison and entering.

Durel just took a step back and stared at him with glaring eyes. "Dude….fuck you." He cursed before bolting out outside. He was only able to make it half way there until he heard Larkon's painful screams of terrible agony echo through the dungeon.

* * *

For three solid long days she searched for him. Rushing to everyone she knew and every person they possibly know until she was very certain she had talked with all except the highest ranking members of the Alliance. Yet she still could not find any trace of Larkon, which ultimately lead to only one last place and man who knew.

She arrived at Durel's house late one night when she knew he was off from his patrol. So she had to visit Durel again in the morning and ask help from him. She arrived at his house and just knocked on the door. "Durel are you here?" She asked from behind.

The door opened and sees the young maid. "Oh Sorry, Durel is still not here. But come in Alura, I think Cassandra would like like to talk to you." She said as she gestured her to come in and she did.

Alura took a deep breath, already feeling exhausted and tired from all the running. She had been searching for Larkon for three days without sleep and much stop. Finding herself feeling a little weak from not taking the time for food or rest and such. She was just not getting much sleep when a certain someone disappears all of a sudden.

Inside she found Cassandra laying tiredly on a couch with a wet rag over her forehead. Her stomach still has a little bit of flab from her pregnancy but it was flat now and would recede later. The golden blonde girl smiled at the Draenei while cradling a small baby covered in blankets, with a huge man sitting right next beside her.

"Man, he looks so small. I wish he would become big and strong." The big man said, he then turned to Alura to reveal himself to be the captain that helped her out months ago. "Hi Alura. Surprised to see me?"

"Oh hi, I didn't know the baby was born already."

"He was just born this morning, in honor of our late father, my little sister here named him Roland."

Alura then scooted in beside them and smiled as she leaned in and looked at the small life. "He's so handsome, he looks like Durel. A small Durel!" Alura cheered as she used her finger for the child to play on.

"True but at least he has some of my features like my eyes…" Cassandra smiled.

The captain stood up. "Alright I'll go right now, I'll be back for a bit of time, I need to travel somewhere. And Don't worry Cassandra I'm not in a dangerous situation with my call It's just a simple diplomatic escort." He said before waving off.

"Of course, stay safe." the blond spoke softly as she watched her older brother leave the house. She sighed a little feeling very tired and sore. "Alura if I may would you hold him please I'm not well still…" she requested the Draenei as she felt weak and was hurting after all she went through this morning.

"Of course." Alura agreed and happily took the small baby into her arms to allow his mother sometime to rest and for a maid to bring some medicine for her to take.

"You look so well handling him. I'm still waiting for my turn on cradling your baby." Cassandra chuckled weakly as she took the medicine and drank water.

Alura's face blushed heavily in shock, something that got the small infant in her arms laughing a little at how funny her face looked. "Oh um uh well it's uh…"

A knock on the door interrupted them. "Hey Cassandra, tell the maid to open up, I've got to pack up and get onto Thark's it's pretty important." Judging from the sound it was clearly Durel who was pretty hastily with his words.

"Oh of course dear…" Cassandra spoke as the maid opened the door to see Durel rush in almost tripping in a comedical way. Yet the look on his face looked of witnessing something terrible which became even more frighten when he sees Alura in the house.

"Alura what are, thank the Light I found you…"

"Durel what are-"

"Just come with me alright, just come, trust me you need to come." He said.

Alura was confused of his words and why he suddenly requested her to come see whatever he found.

"What's going on Durel?" she asked.

"Just come with please." He said and she did, holding out the infant to the maid for her to claim as Durel just kissed Cassandra and quickly bolts out towards the door.

Alura soon followed, growing more fearful of why Durel was acting like this and what was making this afraid. What Alura noticed also is that Durel carried a lot of money in him for some reason. Other than just using that money to celebrate the birth as a father, there isn't really much reason to spend that much.

"Alura, do you have some money with you?" Durel asked to Alura's surprise.

"What is it Durel? You have a lot of money carried, but it isn't enough, why? What is going on? It doesn't seem like you are going to spend that for buying some food to celebrate." She said.

"Look Alura I can't...oh shit…" Durel saw Moira come out from the prison, but it seemed like he did not notice him as a horse carousel picked him up and left right after. "Let's get in the prison Alura, tell them you are from the church and have a right to be in the prison."

"Not until you tell me what's…"

"Look there isn't much time, there's no telling when that sanctimonious self centered son of a bitch comes back. We don't have much time so please just follow me okay." he interrupted.

"Alright Durel sheesh." Alura narrowed, she thought it wasn't much of a concern. But she followed him through, watching Durel talked to the other guards.

"Damn it open the dungeon gate or I'll report this to the Church for violating the agreement between the military and the church." Durel threatened before gesturing to Alura. "She's a Priestess, she'll just do what she does, heal him up and get out. Now get your ass on that lever and let me enter." Alura never heard Durel become angered before.

"Um we can't we're under orders of General Moira that the prisoner recieves no visits of healers or members of the Holy Church without his say so." the guard spoke somewhat nervous as he wasn't sure what was more frightening, angering the church or angering the general.

"Damn it, just…." Durel calmed and loot out a quarter of the money he had on his pouch. "Look, twenty six pieces of gold. That's MORE THAN ENOUGH for your entire week. Judging from that son of a-" he refrained from using profanity. "Judging from the General he wouldn't be back til some time."

"Deal!" The other more corrupt prison guard just accepted through. Alura could just no longer wonder why the scriptures told her that 'The love of money is the root of all evil.' She knew now why.

Opening the door, the guard let the two enter.

"Look Alura, we need to act quick but once you see this you need to remain calm okay. I have no idea what they've been doing to him, said something about a new form of torture which was...by the Light it was terrible to hear."

"Durel what is going…" her body froze mid sentence when she finally saw what the whole situation was about.

When they reached the corner end of the dungeon. She found what she had been looking for in the last three days. Her eyes widened like as if she had seen a ghost.

There he was lying in the floor faced down, looking significantly thinner, his body was covered in scars, cuts, bruises, and grazes. His head was bleeding, his face was bruised, one of his arms was bent with the ring fingers from his left hand being cut to the length that a quarter of his middle finger was gone, while blood poured from his nose. His entire right leg was battered and broken from the knee all the way down to the foot. It looked so terribly broken that it just completely swelled a reddish purple bruise color as it was broken from multiple different angles. His shorts were torn especially his the lower part of his waist where the bastard of a general had to do in order to humiliate him. It looked like it was only a matter of seconds before he would die as he laid there faced down on the floor while his breath was forced to gulp the fresh air.

She was too shocked and horrified to speak. So Durel ended up speaking for her. Yet the sight killed her heart, stabbed her, destroyed her or any word that could describe her own pain watching him lay down, thin, and bleeding. Is it cruelty? Is the world just truly unfair that they would prey on those who does not have any forms of defense? Does his status as a guard with a good heart mean nothing to them? It mattered to her so much that it shattered her to even look at him in this state. She wants to tell him something, but it might have been too late. Too late because of her own self that she was afraid that there would be something that would hurt her, and it indeed was correct. Not only it hurt her, but it shattered her, traumatized her to see someone in this type of state, unable to be freed from the shackles. Especially it was someone that she held so close to her own heart that she would consider giver her own life. How she regretted to ever not told her what she felt when they were alone together.

"Larkon, Larkon buddy it's me Durel can you hear me?"

Larkon spoke not a word nor did he move a muscle. All he could do was lay there battered and broken to bleed out from his injuries. He could only move his head to his side before closing his eyes while a tear escaped from the corner of it. He didn't want them to see him like this.

"Larkon….." Alura kneeled down right next to the bars, where her hand reached down onto him, her hand glowing to heal him, but already it was clear that it did little, only just healing the open wounds but would never heal the broken bones. She was in tears as she knelt as she saw his condition. This image would of him dying inside the bars would be inside her mind for all the days of her long life.

"Larkon, who did this to you, please….." She softly gripped his hands, his blood was smeared from his hand to hers. She wanted him to be in her gentle arms, that she would nurse him back to health in a bed that he would be comfortable of. That was the only objective and with that she had in her mind. There was nothing else but want to see him cared for after personally knowing what he had gone through. For all else she can only touch his hand, his hand that she onced touched when he made his promise to her all those months ago, that he would come back for her and be alright from there after…..but now that and was covered in blood from its own, and have broken a promise that he wasn't in control. But it mattered not for her as she just reached his hand even more, pleading, whispering the words of soothing comfort, empty words that was useless on his injuries. Her powers as a priestess was useless as it could only close open wounds, not his mind, his bones or anything else that is important for his health. She could just only plead for him, crying.

He couldn't answer. He had a bad time moving his lips because his jaw had been broken and half of his face was already a gory broken mess. He just didn't answer regardless of her pleads as the only answer he could give to her is to softly grip back here hand. He felt as if his own arm would fall off from his body.

"Durel, please stay with him and I will be right back. I'm going to see if I can pay for his release."

"I can't Alura, If I get caught in here I'm good as dead also." Durel reasoned.

"Please he doesn't belong here he's done nothing wrong to deserve this. Nobody deserves this kind of punishment. Please he's your friend." she tearfully begged.

"I just can't Alura….I'm sorry but, I can only follow you to pay for that's for sure, but I just can't risk my chances in here with no authority and get killed to leave Cassandra and Roland alone. Don't let me do that Alura." He said.

"Then what would you have me do then I can't just leave him here like this!" she begged, her watery eyes once more pouring with heavy tears down her cheeks. "Please Durel, I beg of you."

He sighed. "I'll give all my money on him, the guard. He'll do the work for me. That, I get to live and Larkon is guarded."

She hugged him tightly for that. "Thank you…" she spoke, accepting his money to quickly see what she could do.

He watched her leave as he kneeled down and patted Larkon softly on the shoulder. "It's gonna be okay buddy she's gonna do what she can." he spoke before paying a guard to stand close and watch him. He ran for her to follow suite.

She ran out of the prison to somewhere or just about anywhere she would be able to find someone decent or noble enough to release Larkon from his prison. Her mind was just racing so much to how she would help him that she couldn't think of anything else other than talk. Talk to someone, negotiate throughout the conversation for his release in exchange for something, or anything that she could give she would give for his life. The life that made her smile in the past months since she met him, a life that made promises that most husbands can't say to their wives, and fulfilled it. She just doesn't know what to do anymore other than letting the guilt consume her if she failed that person.

Her irrationality led her to the most obvious culprit. She was in the barracks, but not the one where she had visited often back in the day. This barracks was filled nosy 'soldiers' that was just laying in their beds instead of training. Oh how fat and lazy they look, they can't be compared to the friends she had in the barracks, the dwarf, the worgen, the ones that is been with Larkon longer than her. If this is what the General did to his men then he should be a fat one as well, but his image speaks otherwise, that he marvelled at his own physicality too much that he doesn't want it fade.

Still as much as it disgusted her, there had to be someone with enough decency to allow her to pay for Larkon's release. He didn't deserve this kind of cruelty, he had done nothing wrong. There has to be a small sense of humanity inside the general that would consider her trade of money for his freedom, or a priestesses letter of commendation to him in order to boost his reputation as a general.

Her lips were biting itself as she walked through the halls of the barracks. Durel was closely behind her but she doesn't feel any safer as lustful eyes gazed upon her forms. Men can be men to admire a woman's body but their minds are in for something more malicious than just simple admiration.

Two guards were at a door which it perhaps to be the room of General Moira. It had to be, because she depended on him ordering his release. The guards somewhat recognized her, probably they know her by Moira's detail of a draenei that he desperately wanted to bed, or forced into bed no matter what.

The guards let her in and they stopped Durel. "Just come with us and wait on the halls." They said as Durel reluctantly agreed. They weren't far but Alura being alone with a man that uses everything of his power to keep on bedding women of different races concerned him to a great extent.

When she entered she found him just sitting there looking through some maps or plans for something. An evil smirk on his face as if he was expecting her.

"I've been expecting you Priestess…." The general began, smiling on ahead as he poured a glass of wine incidentally right beside him. "I guess you want the war criminal freed right?" He asked.

"War Criminal? He is no war criminal he has done nothing wrong…" Alura lashed out before he held a hand up to silence her.

He smiled even more seeing as he now had some power over her since she needed his help to release him. "Deserting his squad in favor of the Horde. Is quite the serious offense to the Alliance. So what we have a truce with the Horde now. Once this whole Dark Portal Issue has been solved we'll be getting right back to killing one another. So as long as I'm concerned, desertion is still desertion regardless of our truce."

"He did not abandon his squad he was the only survivor from attack that you set them up to!" she pointed out sounding angry from his words of acquisition.

He shrugged without care. "I can't help what attacks them while they stand guard. Deserter or not, he's gonna get executed through torture. I don't really care, I just don't like him. I always hated Jorden, and I hate him no different. Both people I don't like are either dead or dying, so I automatically win. But you can do something different now can we priestess?" He replied, despite his own formality, his own thoughts are just purely disgusting in the eyes of the draenei.

She soon felt a shiver down her spine. It made her feel exactly like she was back in prison of the blood elf. Yet the Warlock and his minions were at least decent not to touch her. Which says something about the man in front of her now who she can already tell what he was intending to do.

"I can release him with just a snap of my fingers and…"

"No…" she blurted out.

The made his raise an eyebrow, getting irritated. "What?"

"I can only pay Moira, money, gold, jewelry, or anything. Just not what you have in mind. I have my own dignity to guard than to just let it sway for-"

"For his own life?" Moira chuckled. "Well you can leave now priestess, the corpse will be delivered in the church soon for you to mourn." He said, but he knew she won't leave.

"Yes and would you risk angering the Church?" she asked with her arms cross. Now seeing she had some position to stand against him.

The general chuckled. "The church, that is the threat? Read some rules priestess, the church does not handle military affairs unless corruption is involved. Me killing a deserter isn't corruption, you have no evidence. He dies, you get the mourn, I get off of him watching him die. We all win." He said.

"Yes but my father Vindicator Joven does. You can't threaten me with your abuse of power. I'm have my own stance in connections and power. So either you accept the pay and let him go. Or I get my father involved and even you can't stand up against him. And you'll find he's not as forgiving as I am, believe me." She crossed her arms and slammed her hoof down.

"Well I could only say. Fuck you and your father. What does he have? He has no position other than influence. So, I can say priestess, tell him, right then and now and I can go back in the dungeon. Kill him, and then he arrives."

"What did he ever do to you General? He did nothing to you but to serve you loyally." Alura said, losing her own confidence to the conversation.

"Oh you probably don't know. Months ago at that gathering in the castle with the royal family. You remember, the night of the dance and when you apparently first met him. Unknown to you an intruder, a troll rogue of some sort sneaked in. The man Larkon ruined the royal library, can you imagine the shit I got from his royal highness King Anduin for it. Because of Larkon, he made me look like a fool in front of the royal family and all his special guests."

"To be honest, you're the only one who made yourself look like a fool. At least he tried to do something while you were too busy bragging about your own false accomplishments." she smirked.

"Well thank you for saying that priestess so that I would just probably burn him alive." Moira threatened her, becoming more angry. "Currently his condition gives him two weeks to live with proper food and water, but with what I give to him, it would end his life in four days at best. So you do your best priestess to prepare his funeral or are you willing to pay up?" He smiled.

She shook her head. There was nothing else to reason the man. Time was already ticking for Larkon. "What do you want Moira? I can only give gold, or anything else you want, are you really that greedy that is not enough?"

He smirked. "Come now fair priestess you should know what I…"

"No…" She bluntly spoke.

He was now losing his patience with her dangerously fast. "I hold his life in my hands so either…"

"And I hold your reputation in my hands, either you accept the money and free him or I get my father and the church's influence to alert the King of your actions and ruin you!" she rudely interrupted. "You're not all powerful Moira you're just an arrogant, self centered, sanctimonious son of a bitch who's just jealous because Larkon is more of a man then you!" she spat at him, using curse words for the first time in her life to speak the truth of what she believes him to be.

He slapped her hard with a armored hanf. "I'm a son of a bitch am I? Then this son of a bitch wants you." He said with smittened anger as he wraps himself against the draenei, kissing her neck against her own will as he began to force himself to her.

Her hands glowed, intending to do something that would harm him. Her eyes closed as she struggled to free herself from his grip. Her genes of one being a small draenei did not help her now as she struggled against his strength, all while dazzled by his act. "Let go of me you bastard! I'm a priestess and you are viola-" He cuffed her mouth.

"Shut your pretty mouth, you fucking bitch."

She really wanted to strike him down, her lips bit against her teeth as her hands glow bright, so ready to do so. Yet a memory flashed her mind, a reminder to what is like to take a life back in Draenor stopped her from doing so. She just wants to scream yet his hands cuffed her. "Mmmmm! Pheeelphph!" She screamed through his hand as the high ranking rapist licks her neck and cheeks.

"Oh no not this time! You have been denying me of my lust for your perfect body for far too long! This time neither the Church or that bastard of a father of your's is going to save you!" he growled.

He soon felt a deep pain in his hand and yelled when he saw her bite his hand hard enough to draw blood. Forcing him to let her mouth go for her to scream only for a brief moment. "HE…!"

"BITCH!" He roared and punched her hard on the face on her right eye. Hard enough to leave a large bruise mark and swelling to block vision from her right eye.

Not wanting to be denied no more, he reached his hands close to the front of her dress and forcefully tore the front off. Exposing her bra covered giant mounds to the world. She felt herself screaming in his hand before he silenced her shoving cloth down her mouth.

"Your body is more built and fit to be my perfect whore!" he lustfully spoke before tearing her dress off to expose her lower parts still covered in her panties. Now officially making her half naked to his lustful eyes. In an act of cruelty for her biting him, he slammed his boot down her tail, causing her to scream a muffled scream of agony.

He just proceeded down to kiss her muffled lip, but a bonk from her horn when he tried to stopped him from even getting close. Thus denying from closing in on her lips, causing him to be angrier and in response he punched her in her gut. That caused her to lay down on the floor in pain. "Fucking bitch." He said as he wiped the blood off his forehead.

Durel wondered, the talk had been longer than he expected to be. He knew Alura well enough now when she keeps on visiting the barracks and the past week that she had been visiting Cassandra about the baby. He knew well enough now that Alura says no to something.

He looked around, the guards were busy sexually harassing a maid by pushing up her too short of a dress that the General has probably required them to do for his own fun, and in response the made just slapped the guard left off. By that time Durel had already took his chances and walked by down the halls to the General's room.

There was a little bit of a thud sound coming out from the room of the general. It doesn't mean much to him as he probably thought it was just probably the sound of boots. However what really drew his attention and arise his worry was the large struggling sounds going on and he could've swore he heard Alura's voice call for help for a brief moment. He only hesitated for a moment. He knew this would have consequences but at this point he cared not. Taking a breath his kicked the General's door down with his metal clad boot to see what was going on.

There before him, he saw the general struggling to try and rip the Draenei's undergarments off. For each attempt he tried she squirmed and struggled, preventing him from making any progress. A large swelling bruise was on her right eye followed by an even bigger one on her gut. Her dress was completely torn off of her, now leaving her half naked with only her undergarments to protect her privates from the prying eyes of the world. Yet her struggling angered the young general so much that he reached his hands around her neck and started strangling her in a fit of rage and attempt to stop her struggling.

"General!" He raised his voiced with widened eyes. The two both turned and Moira let her go because he got caught in the act of an attempt rape on a Priestess of the Church of the Holy Light.

Alura then just immediately bolt up from him and runs off towards Durel and hugged him close. Finally spitting the rag that was shoved deep down her throat. "Durel help…." She softly said to him through her sobs.

"Let's go Alura." He said as he watched the General with narrowed eyes of contempt.

She softly nodded and walked with him. Covering herself with her arms and hands in a failed attempt to hide her half nakedness to the world.

"Here…." he yanked the long table cloth from a closeby table to help cover her as best as he could. Her eye and stomach looked really bruised from the general's abusive hits. "Come on, let's get out of here….." He said as they moved out, leaving the general stunned, who did nothing and just let them be. It is bad enough that he got caught in the act.

* * *

He didn't understand why. The first thing he suggested to her is to tell the nearest person she knows with the highest rank of authority, and the first thing she said is no. The reason why because she knew if she'd tell only a corpse would be the remains of the man she consider in her to be more than a friend. It baffled him to think that she would do this.

"It's alright Cassandra, I'm alright. I just fell in a stair case and my dress got caught in those hooks and it ripped my dress off while I fell down. I'm alright." Alura lied. Her bruises really showed.

"Are you sure?" Cassandra asked for closure.

Durel then chimed in. "Yes Cassandra, and hey Amelia would you mind on helping Cassandra out to her room? She's still struggles to walk because of her pregnancy, and it would need at least a day or two, she just needs to rest." Durel ordered and the maid who is named Amelia nodded and helped the recent mother out, taking her hand and wrapping her hand around her for leverage as she walked her out, leaving the two out alone.

"Look Alura, why would you risk your life? I'm not going to help you any longer if you are trying to kill yourself. Larkon is my friend for some time, but…..it's not worth your own life. Why not just let him g-"

"No I will not!" She suddenly snapped before calming herself down so suddenly, closing her eyes and covering her face as she tried to wipe her tears that slowly was coming out from her eyes. "I will not, I will not, I will not." She told.

"But Alura just-"

"Would you let Cassandra go if the roles were reversed?!" she blurted out asking him seriously. All the while she just could not stop herself from crying. "I'm not going to let him go. He already did more than I could do for him in that one faithful day than I could in my whole fifty thousand years of futile existence. So what Durel if this kills me? I would've already been a dead woman had Thark and Larkon not come for me." She reasoned, there were some incense in her tone.

Durel was speechless. He had known Larkon and her being possibly close. Yet to hear her confession of how deep she was this close to him made him regret his words. Of course if the roles were reversed he fight the entire Burning Legion while being badly crippled if it meant to keep his wife and son from danger. He knew Cassandra would also do the same if she was in his shoes as well. He could only sit down next to her and help her move her hands away from her eyes so he could wash the bad swelled up bruise on her right eye.

"Alright Alura. I'll try to help what I can." Durel said to her before adding something that he remembered back in the past where they were just recent friends. "Damn, I kept on teasing Larkon about you. But I never thought it would be real." Durel mentioned.

Ameilia brought a bowl of warm water as well as a wet rag for him to use. Rensing once, he softly rubbed her injured eye. It made her flinch heavily in pain. Indicating the general hit her seriously hard. He knew the general was a monster but this showed him he was much worse than that if he went as far as to hit women this hard.

He heard a gentle knock on his door. He motioned for Amelia to answer the door as he tends to Alura currently. "So, how are we going to help him I...I don't know what else to do…"

"I don't know either…" she answered sadly, now growing comfortable enough to allow him to wash her eye before moving onto her gut.

"Alura!" they heard a soft voice ask in complete shock and worry. Alura recognized that voice and turned to see her mother Averia enter. The draenei mother rushed in and healed her bruise daughter with her stronger holy magic. "Alura what happened to you? I visited you in the inn of the dwarf but you weren't there and the dwarf told me you were here, but why are you injured? Who did this to you?"

She couldn't hold her tears anymore. Yet she did her best to hide the truth of what happened. "I...I just fell down some stairs and my dress got caught in those hooks and it ripped my dress off while I fell down and hurt myself. " She lied.

Her mother knew better, she knew her daughter more than Alura probably knew herself. Yet for her daughter's sake and for the sake of her reason of not telling the truth she went along. But Alura cannot contain her needs.

"Ma I need your...help please" she begged her mother with teary eyes. "Ma please, I need you right now to help me. Please!" She repeated.

Her mother narrowed her brow as she saw her plight. She looked like a six year old once more in her eyes as she watched her kneeled and put her head on her shoulder to plead like a child would do. She is HER OWN child, her child that she cared for and carried inside her for months, she would gladly help her. "What is it that you need Alura? Just tell me." Her mother said like a mother would.

"Someone very special to me is in the dungeon, being tortured and punished for a crime he did not commit. Please mother I need your help this person is as truly special to me as father is to you…" she begged her mother. "Ma please help me by helping him ma. I owe him so much that I can never give back. If he die's I don't know what to do but live with my guilt till I die in the church." Alura sobbed. "Please mother I beg you help him. General Moira imprisoned him and he tortures him ma. Please."

"Alura, Alura shh...calm down it's okay everything is going to be alright. You are my daughter and there is nothing I won't do to help you in your time of greatest need."

"Ma, Larkon is still in the Dungeon! I can't-"

"You'll help him trust me. We can do nothing if we just gloat in here. I'll talk to the church leaders in Stormwind the first thing right now the moment we get out of this door. Just go back to your dwarf friend and let me handle this. I promise you this Alura that he'll be freed." She told her before gesturing Alura to stand up and walks to the door. "Um young man, thank you for taking care of Alura while she's in here."

"Of course your holiness, anything I can do for a close friend and for members of the Church." He gave a slight bow to her.

"Oh stop with the holiness nonsense, we're all mortals here. Just take care. I have to make this promise for her." She said before talking back to Alura. "Let's get to your friend's inn so that you'll wash up. I'll go to the church okay?"

"Of course ma, and thank you." her daughter smiled back brightly to her before exiting Durel's home.


	38. I'll stay at your side

Three days had past yet it still felt like only moments ago for him. The only thing Durel could do is pray that his actions would not come back to haunt him. Even now as he sits beside his wife while holding his infant in his arms he still looked extremely worried.

"What's wrong Durel you seem, bothered?" Cassandra asked him softly, placing a soft hand on his shoulder. It is seen that her stomach had finally recede and it had went back to its normal flat state.

He was bothered, thinking a lot on how to do this and to do that for his own friend that was probably left rotting in the cell. He hadn't seen him again since he went with Alura together. Alura still visits Larkon along with the dwarf. Moira at least had allowed them to get to his cell, heal him and give him some food. Probably doing what he can to avoid the issue of what happened as he knew he was caught and just one wrong move now could end him. It was sure enough what ever healing they did wasn't enough because Alura kept on muttering to him that his broken bones, his swelling and his internal bleeding not kept in check. It just forced Larkon to lay in the floor almost paralyzed. She even said it would appear no matter how many times she healed him. Whenever she came back he would always look worse than the day before, as if her healing did nothing. He was pretty sure that Moira took his anger from being caught out on Larkon.

"It's nothing it's just...got allot on my mind you know." he spoke as he looked at his own son before going back to his own wife. He hoped that this ordeal doesn't get them in trouble with the general. "I love you Cassandra along with Roland, you know that right?" He said, he seemed weary when he said those words.

Cassandra narrowed her brow. "Are you alright love? You seem disturbed, I know you are, are you tired? Do you want me to take him for you?" she offered.

"I'm just…..thinking for a friend." He said.

He did think about him, all night. He just wasn't sure how to help him. He can do nothing to Moira, not when he is just a lowly guard that he could execute for no good reason or worse, and Moira has history of doing that. He's diving in dangerous waters by helping Alura, and by that he needs to take in a low profile if he wants to help her.

"Larkon? What happened to him?"

He flinched. He doesn't want to tell her about his predicament. "He's just in some trouble but he'll be alright." He replied.

"Are you sure? I can help if I can. If he's in trouble because of some higher ranked captain, then I can talk to him to negotiate."

His eyes widened, that is the worse possible situation he could ever think of for her. "No!" He suddenly snapped. His sudden outburst awoke the infant from his gentle sleep in his father's arms and he started crying a little from being disturbed and such. Durel realized his tone and softens as he handed Roland to his mother. "Just….no Cassandra alright? I can handle this. Just trust me."

She reached out and kissed him on the lips. "I always trust you love." She said as she stood up. "I'm just going to get the baby in the crib after I make him sleep again." She said as she walked away towards the other room.

He watched her leave till a knock came to his door. "Ah damnit now what, Amelia can you get that please I...I need a drink."

"Of course sir."

Durel exited his bedroom and went down to his kitchen to pour himself a small glass of ale. He takes a quick sip and rubs his face in frustration. How on Azeroth was he going to do this? How was he going to help save his friend from all of this without endangering those dear to him. He can't even tell his wife what troubles him without risking her safety.

The made came back to him as she looked at him. "Sir, there is a General waiting for you….." She said with formality as she went on to the other room to check on for his wife.

Durel narrowed his brow and went to see who it was. To his surprise and to his fear Moira came to his house with a couple guards, both of them were carrying small sack. "Come on soldier, let's have a word to discuss for a bit." Moira said to him as if it was his own house as he sat down on the couch, motioning him to sit on the other.

Durel nodded in fear as his fears comes to fruition. "Yes sir…." He even saluted to create a false sense of obedience, but it was his fear not for his life but for his family.

"Come on now soldier. I would like to discuss some word with you about the….incident that you caught me in the other day." He said as he gestured his guards to give him two small sacks, and the guard thrown it towards him. The sacks shaked to which he found out that it was filled with silver and gold pieces. "You like that soldier?" Moira told him, smiling on, clearly giving the message to keep his mouth shut.

"Love? Is everything alright? Amelia told me we have guests…" Cassandra suddenly comes out.

The general simply looked over his shoulder and gave his usual smirk he gave when he spotted something interesting.

"Um yes...everything is just fine, go get some sleep honey I'll be there shortly." Durel told her with nervous words.

She didn't even need his words to leave immediately. The way the general looked at her sent her deep shivers down her spine and made her want to rush off away from his gaze quickly. Still she hid behind a door and listened in careful in fear for her husband.

"Got a beautiful wife I see." Moira spoke turning his attention back to Durel. "Not as beautiful for the Draenei a little plain but still nice in her own aspects. I could say Durel that she makes some elves jealous….." He said to him, smiling perversely before chuckling. "I see that you have a son soldier. Judging from that crib."

Durel nodded. "Yes sir…."

"Now tell me soldier. Do you want to see your kid grow up along with your wife to grow old with?" Moira asked.

He nodded once more. "Yes sir…."

"Well then, accept the money, and keep your mouth shut…." He said as he stood up to leave, he turned his back on him till he comments again. "Cause…..well you know. Your woman loves you. And you don't want to make an enemy out of me when you have a woman that's….beautiful." He said as he gestured his goons to come with him.

Durel did not even look at him but he heard his words all too well. His wife on the other hand who had heard everything from behind a door gasped quietly and covered her mouth in shock. When the general was gone and Durel simply sat there looking dead. She rushed over to him to check on him.

* * *

Averia sat patiently in the church waiting for her husband to meet her in order for him to talk to her. She knew he was probably one of the only influences the Church had in the military for his status as a Vindicator. She was glad to see her daughter was doing much better but she feared for her and for this human who she clearly fell in love with no matter how hard she tried to hid it from her.

A smile came across her lips when she felt his strong armored clad hands wrapped around her waist from behind. He used to always do that back when they were younger and still dating. All the while presenting a flower to her.

"Never too old for the simplest of things…" he smiled turning her around to face him.

She accepted the flower, smiling at the small piece of life but her smile waned down all too fast. There is no smiles yet to appear. Not when there are still things needed to be done. "I'm not in the mood yet, Joven….." She uttered.

"I know, I just wanted to still show I still care. So you mentioned something on how I would make up for Alu-"

She interjected. "You are. And I need your help love. Your daughter needs your help so much right now. I'm just glad that you came in here as fast as you could or else all you would hear from her now is her cries if you were a minute late." She said.

He gently placed his hands softly on his shoulders. "I understand Averia. Please, tell me what is it that I can do to help and I will do everything I can and more to help." he spoke softly and motioned her a seat with him.

"Well, there is this….human that Alura befriended….make no mistake to tell me love, but you need to help him because General Moira imprisoned him. I don't know why, Alura told me he's innocent that he was not a deserter and I believe her." She said before looking at him directly. "You have to help this person Joven or else we lose our own daughter too. I've seen it in her eyes like as if she was saved countless times by him and she owed her life to him also."

"Say no more, I know who this human is."

"You do?"

"Yes, I have seen first hand all that he has done for our daughter and more. I see why she feels she owes her life to him. In many ways it is similar to how I owed my life to you many years ago when you saved me from myself… I am forever indebted to him for saving our daughter, this I spoke with my word to him. And as a man forever of my word, I will help him." Joven answered.

"Keep your word to me love…." She said as she kissed him.

* * *

He felt the chill inside his bones. The snowy surface in a dark cave. His head is the only thing that is functional as he could make out what surrounded him. His flesh had probably frozen solid by now that the moment he would move his arms, they would break like a rock being smashed by a hammer. The pang of heaviness in his chest dug him up from his stupor as he could breath no more.

"Save her…" A voice spoked.

In an array of panic Larkon screamed. He didn't know where he was once again.

A dim light appeared out in the open. He was still trapped in the ice, but he could clearly see what the dim light revealed. It was Alura, with her belly was full with a child. Yet the figure beside her caused him to go wild on to himself as he screamed and screamed and screamed for her, trying to force his frozen body to moved to the point that his frozen arm broke off. The pain didn't even hit him.

The figure lined up his knife, it was a very big knife that was serrated with frozen ice. It caused him to flare up his nose. "Save her….." The figure muttered before suddenly slicing open her waist.

Blood burst through like water fall as the unborn child was born through brutal means. The baby dropped against the cold hard floor, its umbilical cord hanging down from the womb of her mother. "Save them….." He said before he dropped the lifeless body of the draenei.

His eyes shot back open in fearful alert. For the he lost count how many time, the Death Knight who killed his captain haunted him. Regardless of however way he felt, he would always see it haunting and tormenting him. Those frozen blue glowing eyes, that terrifying face, and the way he ate his mentor as if he was just food to him shaked his very core.

He heard his cell bars open once more, the general entering with a smug look on his face. For some reason Larkon felt he was so used to all of this terrible agony that it felt like a means to relieve him of the curse of his nightmares forever haunting him.

Still he felt terrible agony when the guards hoisted him up to his feet.

"Alright let's see what could we do to you today… Hmmm…" The general looked at him for a moment and motioned his guards to continue.

Throwing him hard to the ground, the stripped him naked and soon bind him to a chain to a chair with the seat removed, naked, leaving his testicles exposed. Once finished, they handed Moira a knotted rope as he smirked and walked over to him.

"Did you know the priestess came into my office a few days ago. Well of course you knew because she came to you first before seeing me. She wanted to bargain you out...bribe me with money…" he turned and smiled wickedly at him. "But I had a different price in mind." he spoke before he harshly whipped the former guard's scrotum. Causing Larkon to scream in terrible agony through the cloth shoved painfully down his throat.

"But she refused, still thinking you to be more of a man than me." Moira whipped him again between the legs. Again inflicting terrible agony to the poor man. "So, I threw myself on her, and though she put up a whimpy fight to defend herself. A strike to the face, eye, and gut was enough to silence her." the general spoke before he once again whipping Larkon's balls painfully once more.

Again and again he continued to whip Larkon at his most vulnerable and painful location. The former guard did what he could to endure the agony, breathing hard and shouting a muffled yell.

Moira closed in his face towards the former gladiator and smiled. "Well you know I-" A Headbutt comes in and smashes into his face hard. Attacking one of the many places the General seemed to value the most and ruining it..

The General weaved his head away in pain as he covered the brunt of his nose. It was in blood, probably broken from the impact. "You lowly MOTHERFUCKER!" He said as he strikes Larkon's head with his knee. The impact was so great that Larkon's head bounced off and hit the back of his head with the wall behind him. "You son of a bitch…." He roared again as he punched Larkon's already broken body repeatedly to the point that a rib was protruding from his skin. It was clear that he had broken the bones of his body so many times that he can't stand up. When he finished he motioned his guards to chain him up by his feet and hang him upside down.

"You know, the Draenei seems to think of you're a better man than me." a devious idea came across his face. "Let's see what she will think after we've...un-man you…"

Larkon's eyes widened to the point that it almost popped out. "HNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!NG!" He screamed through the cloth that impaired his voice as he saw Moira receiving a knife that was in burning metal. It clearly was heated to the point that it would cut anything.

He smacks Larkon's cheek. "It will only last some five agonizing seconds that the pain would probably be so great and the heart rate would go so high up that it would cause you a heart attack that would cause a stroke and kill you." He said. "So…..show what you have something that is not-"

"Sir there is a draenei that is requesting a meeting with you. He said he is a Vindicator."

"Tell him to go fuck off I am currently busy ready to castrate this fucker for damaging my beautiful face!" Moira yelled as he closed in the knife.

"Um sir, he's right here." the guard spoke.

"You still do this Moira even after the agreements took place to denounce torture in military of the Alliance….." The draenei said.

Moira's eyes shot open as he slowly turned around to see the Paladin standing towards the entrance with his arms crossed.

"Look Joven I am in no mood to deal with your religious bullshit so you can take it all and shove it up your ass!" Moira shouted still pretty furious of having his nose broken and bleeding all over the place. "Damn, fucking lowlife's broken my nose. So what do you want Vindicator? Advice? Women? Money? Ask some other time I'm occupied." He said with venom.

"Release the young man and in return I did not see this event." Joven said to him.

The General stopped his advance and turned towards the Paladin with a furious look. "Are you threatening me?"

The draenei looked over to the dying man that was hanging upside down right before going back to the general. "Yes I am general. All of this would spread to the entire city if I utter the word and outrage and persecution would come to you because of it. I'm just saying that you release the young man. I've read his profile before I came in here, there was no desertion case to be created against him. If he dies under your custody, then you'll pay for it." The paladin inquired.

To say the general looked furious would put it kindly. His face was filled with some much anger and rage it almost looked he could explode any minute. Because now he was torn between making Larkon pay for ruining his face and his reputation which meant more to him then his own soul.

"You have no proof of this, with just one snap of my fingers I could destroy the proof just as I had all your letters destroyed and all your daughter's letter's destroyed back at the Dark Portal." he smirked.

"All the survivors from his team are the proof General. They are all under the care of the church now and you can't touch them." He revealed. "This isn't some random person you are hurting General. I owe him a debt of gratitude, and you on the way doesn't take it for me. So I ask you once again General, release the young man, and you'll never hear from me again unless you are violating the agreement once again…." Joven said softly but in a much more darker tone to put his stance on.

If the general didn't look any more angry before, now he did. It almost looked like he was so furious he was about to tackle the Draenei, which Joven saw in his eyes that he wanted to do that. To showcase that he was prepared for that, he softly placed his hand on the grip of his sword. Secretly telling the general he dares him to try and attack him, letting him know he would defend himself and this youngman with violence if necessary.

With an angry sigh in reluctant agreement, he stood aside and motioned for his men to let the man go. "Fine, take the bastard. But mark my words this isn't over Vindicator. Not by a long shot because I will get you back for this, I will get you both back for this…" he spat with pure venom in his voice.

With a simple pull of the lever the chain released Larkon. Even with his release it was violent as his body suddenly dropped on the floor. He was glad that his head didn't face the ground first. Yet it was still painful especially with the condition of his own body. He can't talk with his broken jaw, his ribs are broken and some of his organs are swelling because of the damage done. He couldn't even walk because of the serious damage done to his legs and his scrotum. He wasn't sure if he would recover from this or he would die because he was heavily bleeding from the cuts, on his body, and head.

He just laid there on the ground, having a hard time to breathe because his lungs were bruised and the cloth the general gagged him with was still shoved deep in his mouth and throat.

"Broken ribs, Swelling organs, bruised lung. Bleeding on the head, on the legs, infection on the wounds and a rib protruding out the his skin. Take care of him Joven, because when he dies I'm not accountable because he is now under your custody….." Moira smiled on as he left.

Joven watched him and all the men leave the room, now just leaving him with the seriously battered and broken youngman who laid there on the ground, naked and critically wounded from almost every part of his body. The Paladin softly kneeled down and patted him softly on the shoulder. Even that made the young human squirm in agony.

"It's gonna be okay young man, I'm gonna get you some help." Joven spoke softly to him as a father would to his young son who was badly hurt.

Larkon wasn't even looking at him nor was he really facing anything particular. He just simply laid there enduring the unending agony of his injuries. He could see it his vision was foggy, his eyes seemingly drift as he saw some figures, all of them picked him up gently, moving his body to a stretcher, covering up his head with bandages that covered his right eye. He was still awake, and he was aware of everything that surrounded him. From the hand of the Vindicator that kept on glowing to heal his wound, to the last bit of wrap that they applied onto his legs. However he could still feel the flow of blood on to his head. He realized now that it was all adrenaline that kept him conscious and somewhat strong when he was in prison hoist up in chains while Moira had his way on him with torture. Now that all those things are gone, the chemical inside his body waned and finally revealed the pain onto his nerves and brain.

He could see them carry him out from the prison and into the streets. Call people out from the streets for them to pave way to a healer's room where they at least heal them, but in his case was a dying man, no magic could heal his wounds, they really need a doctor that knows the science of medicine. His head turned when the draenei that lead the way gasp in surprise when a familiar face come running towards them.

He could still make out every detail of her. Everything for him seemed slow, like as if it was just him and the image of the world in slow motions. Her glowing blue eyes, like the clearest of oceans. Her beautiful face that makes goddesses feel envy. The curve of her lips that the curve of the moon's crescent couldn't match to its beauty. It made him smile at least that he could see her, even in this state. He knows how much she turned his life around to find a meaning after everyone he knew when he was still a young teenage boy that was pulled out from the streets by a great man disappeared forever in his life. The glass of drinks in Thark's inn along with them talking about women, future and everything else that friends could talk about are just the thing of the past. After all that disappeared he thought his own life was just an echo of what it was. A meaningless dried leaf that is attached to a branch waiting for that thin breeze of the air to finally sever itself from life.

Yet she didn't let that happen. As stubborn as she is to use her tears to convince him. It worked like magic to him, even if it annoyed him sometimes. He never got to defend himself from her charms till it was too late, as just in a flash she rebuilt that life. That he could still live with a meaning. He never get to see the answer to why.

His smiles were kept even after she kneeled down onto him, crying to the Light to spare his life. Her words were just incoherent to him as all he did was stare at her face. The face that kept him on to the end. The face that bare the lips that he almost touched with his. That was the only thing in his mind.

He didn't know why she cried, and why she has to kneel down. He only feels like he needed some sleep as his eyes were starting to feel heavy. She kept on buzzing him to just stay awake, but he just can't as the call of nature to rest took him on, invading his body till it finally succeed. Closing his eyes till the last realm of consciousness disappears.

"Alura…..he, just needs to rest Alura. He's still breathing, but the damage to his body is-" Joven couldn't find any word to make an excuse, as his own daughter breaks down, releasing the tears on to his side without restriction.

"Larkon, I know you'll be better right?" She said at the sleeping man through her sobs. Ignoring her father's encouraging words. Yet nothing is encouraging him, not when he had to drift to a sleep to where she wasn't sure if he would wake up again. She knew as a priestess that such damage to the body while being still conscious and alive would lead to a comatose. With their current technology where the best medical equipment could only fix his broken bones and disinfect the wounds, his death would come if he could not wake up in a week, where the limit of a human body could go on without food.

"You would be better right Larkon? You promised me many months ago….." She sobbed.

She watched with watery eyes as she saw members of the Church take Larkon away to be healed by their finest healers within their order. Still she could not help but not shed more tears to watch him be taken away like that. It almost looked as horrible as so many of her nightmares of him being killed in battle or worse. Yet it was worse to her still for this was all real and it was happening, unlike the nightmare.

"Alura, as a Paladin of the Hand of Argus and as your father, I give you my word that he will be alright." Joven spoke softly to her, giving her a soft loving fatherly hug to her to confirm his promise to her.

"I want to be beside him…." Alura requested.

"Of course. Come with me, I'll lead you to him Alura. He'll be in a ward where he gets to be monitored till his in full recovery." he nodded and started leading her to follow him to wherever Larkon was being taken.

It had taken them thirty minutes to walk over to the area of the church they needed to go. True to his words Joven lead her to a room, where an acronym ICU was imprinted on to the top of the door. She then saw Larkon being tended by other people who are the crafts of medicinal science, where they heal wounds that magic could not.

A man in white covered with a mask on his mouth and nose approached them. He was human along with some. "He's in a coma vindicator. The damage to his body is too much and we can't perform anything on to him other than giving him potions to drink and apply herbs on his wounds to help the swelling of his body and organs. But the culprit would be whether or not he could wake up from the coma. Because I would say honestly vindicator, we just don't have the technology to sustain a human body. We could be able to make him drink water but, we just don't have something for him for sustenance….."

"Then try finding a way to help sustain his body even if you have to use your hands to have him chew his food for him." Joven ordered.

"Unless you want him to die sir by choking then there's nothing else we could do but wait on and hopes that he would wake up before the end of this week starting now." The doctor replied before adding his own formality. "I'm sorry Vindicator, we just could do nothing but monitor him of his conditions." He said before leaving the room.

Joven was silent for hearing those words. He didn't know how Alura would take these since she was next to him as she listened to these words. He turned his head towards her, and true to his fear her eyes look terrified as her face look horrified from these words.

"Alura, Alura, listen to me…" he spoke softly to try and calm his daughter since she almost looked the news was horrifying enough to make her pass out.

She couldn't breathe when she heard those words. Is he going to die? The chances are that he will are high as they could be. It hammered her heart like there was no tomorrow, wrenching it from her chest and proceeds to stomped it to the ground. That's how it hurt when she heard those words.

"You can be left alone with the patient now sir." The nurses said before closing the door behind them.

"Daddy….." She muttered. It was years since she uttered the word that she onced called him. "Help him…..please, I don't know what to do." She said, pouring her tears out.

"Alura, listen." he spoke as calmly as he could while placing both hands on her shoulders. "I understand, I've foresaw this and I've sent word to your mother to come here as soon as she could. When she gets here from the other end of the church she will take care of him to her fullest power. Now you and I both know what a powerful healer in the magic of the Holy Light she is."

"But the man in white just said that-"

"I know what the doctor has said. Have faith Alura. Faith, in me, in your mother and in your friend. Just sit beside him, give him encouraging words, he will hear it even in his sleep. Don't let your sobs rang onto his ears because he will not be well knowing you are depressed." Joven told her wisely.

She shook her head as her emotions still was clouding her. "I just-I just can't do nothing. My heart will die if I lose him knowing I could do something else."

"And you can do that something, you need to give him a reason to come back to you." he spoke calmly to her.

She nodded softly as she looked at him in the eyes. For the first time for Joven in those long years in his absence as a father he had that same feeling he had with Alura back when she was just the little girl that wanted to dance. "I'll try, I'll try. I just….want to be alone with him." She requested.

He smiled softly to her. "Of course, allow me to go get your mother, stay here and keep an eye on him for me please." he requested.

She nodded as she pulled a chair and sat down on the side of the bed were Larkon lies in bandages, asleep. Alura looked on to her father who was just about to leave. "Thank you father." She said, going right back to her formality towards her own parent.

"You don't need to thank me Alura. I thank him." He said, gesturing to Larkon. It didn't seem to cheer up the younger draenei as her smile waned down, but he didn't notice as he disappeared behind closed doors.

She watched her father leave her sight to bring her mother as he promised. As she waited for her parents to return she took a seat next to the heavily injured man and held his hand softly.

"I'll be right here for you, always Larkon." she smiled and reach down to softly kiss his cheek.


	39. You wake up

He laid there in the infinite darkness, for how long he did not know or seem even care even more. Was he dead? He asked himself. If so is this the afterlife, and if it was, was he being punished for all the people he had murdered in his desperation to keep his promise to her. All this he just felt he did not care no more. No more did he have a reason to care anymore, except.

He head the sounds of someone crying reach his ears, the sound of a small child crying. A small child? What was one doing here with him he asked himself. Sitting up over at the long distance, the only light shown at where ever he was was shining at a very small figure.

The figure was running towards him in a small dress of ice. He could make out that her skin is light shaded blue, while she bore horns on her head adorned with her white hair that made to look like a headdress. He realized now that he is sitting on a patch of grass, looking over to his side was a small house, just big enough to fit a family of three while just near the house was a patch of soil sprawled across the yard, spanning for twenty meters before finally edging out. It was a farmer's land, and probably he owned it. So there goes his excuse as farmers being 'Always at the rear end of society.' Because he is one now. He just can't remember how it did go for him, but he'll probably ask sometime.

The running little girl finally was close enough to make her call on to her father, chanting so many times on. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" She cheered as she ran, finally reaching him with a heated breath. "Finally! See dad? I told you I can ran across the yard!" She cheered for herself before motioning her hands up to pick her up. "Up, up, up." She mumbled.

He stared at the small child in confusion, did she just call him her daddy? Even more strange she was a draenei, or at least a half draenei as he can make out.

The child was very cute he can't deny that as he could describe the what seemed to be a half human half Draenei toddler. If the mother is the draenei then she had her mother's draenei features of light blue skin, short white hair, tail, curved horns, and glowing blue eyes. However she had human like feet, and no tendrils, compliments from her human father.

She appeared to be the age of a three year old toddler as she was so tiny compared to him. Nevertheless he picked her up as she wanted to. She was so light to him, she almost felt as light as the air to him. "Where's your mommy?" He asked.

She looked on to him with confusion. "But she just told you she'll buy more seeds from our neighbor." She reminded him.

"Oh um, okay…" he spoke standing back up and still holding the tiny child in his hands.

"Daddy, why is it that you, mommy, and I are different? Especially you." She asked, pinching his cheeks, stretching it playfully before letting go. "I got feet, but mommy got horse feet and you got feet. But then you got light brown skin, and mommy and I got light blue skin. And we got horns and tails also! Why is that?" She asked innocently. She was just so adorable that you could just hug her forever.

Yet as strange as it felt, Larkon did just that and hugged the small child softly and gently to him. "Well, um it's a very long story which should be saved when you're older and can understand it more." he spoke just as softly, it was like this child whoever she was had a magical effect on him to just want to adore and love her.

"Hmmmm?" She smiled widely. "If you can't answer that daddy, how are babies made?" She asked once more a question that was difficult to answer.

"Uhhh, I can't tell you now, because that is for big people talk. I'll tell you when you are older, is that okay for you hmmm?" He smother her cheek with his nose to tickle her.

"Heheheh that tickles daddy." She reacted ."Alright daddy I think you're right."

He smiles at her, seemingly forgetting that just a minute ago he didn't know what life he had. "Alright, alright, let's go back to the house."

"Okay daddy." she cheered and wrapped her very tiny arms around his chest as he kept holding her gently.

He smiled at the beautiful sight in his arms. He didn't know why or how and he certainly did not know what was going on. Yet the moment his eyes met her's. He immediately adored and loved the small child as if she was really his own, or was she? Yes she is, he can't deny it. There was too much resemblance. He just moved his thoughts on and went on to the house.

 _5 days later…_

Alura had been beside him all this time inside the healer room within the Church, always with him in the room. Only going out to take a bath, or to just eat and drink water before going back inside behind closed doors. Right now she closed his mouth after she poured in small pints of water down his throat. Only water for him and nothing else.

She could see the changes of his body, his image. His face was thin, very thin that it could be considered scary, but that can be applied to his entire body. Bones were clear to his skin, though the bruises were now just faint, his danger was not out of him, oh no it was just near enough. Just an arm away before Death's bony arms would reach on him, before grabbing him and drag him from her arms forever. She could see that happening if a day or two would not change. His breathing was labored now because of how his lungs were not having the sufficient nutrient. Still, she kept on clinging on to the hope.

"Lass, you okay lass?" Thark suddenly appeared from behind, closing in the door behind him.

She didn't answer. Her eyes and ears were only focused to the man lying on the bed. It was too much for her to bear to answer anyone's questions.

"Lass….I know you like the lad. But…" He looked over to the sleeping human, looking like as if half his body weight was snatched from him, judging by his facial image that looked like a bones with only a skin on to cover it. "Lass, be merciful lass. He suffered enough…." He quoted, that meant an idea for her.

"But Thark he could still…" she spoke but he softly interrupted.

"Lass, look at him, look at all he's been through and suffered."

"But he can still make it, I don't want to give up on him Thark...I...I love him…" she spoke sounding sadder with the possibility te Dwarf being right. "If, I let him go. What I'm going to do next? There's really nothing else for me to explore other than just stay in the church forever Thark till I die of old age. And all of you are going to be long gone before it comes to that. I'll never be going to get the happiness that I should've had if I was braver…."

She heard the dwarf sigh as he walked up to her and took a seat next to her and hold her soft hand. "Lass, as someone who has been there and done that and still suffers to this day from it. I know this is not easy for ye. It wasn't easy for me when I was forced to put me young lad out his misery. Nor was it easy for me to watch me wife's body be burn to ashes because of the possibility of her infection of the Scourge. And I can sure as heck tell ye it was not easy for me to watch that young lad be beaten to death either. I tell ye this for what I'm saying it's not easy but something's lass, are just beyond our control…"

She shook her head and began crying, finally seeing it, but she could just not accept. "Please Thark don't let me do that. Don't force me to do it. Just let me be, let me clung on to this hope that he will wake up. Please….I can't. Please, just let me clung onto that hope, even if it means to be just my delusion…" She begged.

Thark was moved from her words. He didn't want to force her into that kind of situation, the same situation he himself was in for many times in his life.

"Lass….I just want ye to be happy. Even if….even if ye do this." He said as he turned his back. "This is yer decision now lass." He said as he closed the door behind, leaving Alura alone again with him.

Alura again looked at Larkon and began crying her heart out, holding his hand with both of hers, while smothering it with tears as she cried on to it. The pain deep inside her chest choked her with tears as reality kicked her so hard. It probably had destroyed her any ambitions to be more than just a priestess in the church. Because when it finally happens where she had to let him go, then there's nothing she would do than just lock herself up in the church and just be a priestess for the rest of her days to cover the deep void with her words of worship. In each day she would listen to the sermon after her night is filled with the nightmares of her regret. _Why didn't I tell it to him when we were alone….._ The thoughts were beginning to take her hard after knowing that she had wasted her chances.

 _Why didn't I tell him when we were alone together in that lake….._ The words repeated inside her thoughts as her memories takes her back. She gloated at the thought that a perfect opportunity had took place for her and she didn't said anything. _Why! Why! Why! Why damn it!_ Her regrets keep on crashing her, causing her hands to grip tightly on to his hand to the point that it seems to hurt.

 _Larkon, why Is it that I can't do what you can do?_ She looked at him with pleading eyes. Leaving no room as dug her face onto his shoulder. _Why am I such a coward?! I want to tell, I want to tell him! I Love him! And by the light I missed my opportunity! Because I was being a coward…._ She told herself. She just dug her head onto his shoulder, crying on without care. She felt like she was dying with him. Her mind just couldn't cope with her regrets mentally.

He slowly opened his eyes, his vision foggy but he was met with a yellow light, the candle rays from the small chandelier on top of his bed. He felt weak, so drained and so light. His labored breathing bothered him, but something else took his attention.

When he moved his hands, he felt horns once again close to his hand once more. Followed by ultra angelic soft hair which he could see was a white color even through his foggy vision. He felt so weak that he could barely move his body. His eyes were just fixated on to the white haired draenei. He felt her sobbed, but he didn't know why. His hand softly grip the top of her head as he looked back up before moving his hand to rub her head softly and unconsciously.

Her eyes opened wide in shock and her head bolted right up at the feel of his hand moving. She saw him awake, staring at nothing particular but he was awake and moving. She couldn't help herself as she leapt onto him, wrapping her arms onto his neck into a deep tight hug as her emotions just poured out from her.

He wasn't responsive that much to her affections. Probably because he felt weak to the point that he almost feel like a twig that is being crushed under the feet because of her hugs. Yet nonetheless he let his arms wrap also back before letting it fall down to the side. "Alura, I feel hungry….." He told her, and yes he was, going in five days without consuming as much as a gram of apples or oranges took out a lot from his body. He wasn't as muscular as now as his body grow thinned.

"Oh of course, I will be right back." she spoke so fast and in such a hurry yet so excited Larkon didn't hear her much as she came rushing out the door to go get food.

He watched her rush off out of the room and just nodded. Laying back down he just stared aimlessly at the roof above him. At this point he lost count how many times he has cheated death and wonder why? Was it a curse for him to keep living his miserable existence, or was something more being involved.

His thoughts interrupted him again when she came back with a full plate of food for him. It was a luxurious plate, as if it was already prepared for him. It was filled with apples, oranges, and the salad that Alura brought him when they were in the lake together having fun. Alura sat down next to him, using a knife to slice the apple, she began to feed him slice by slice because he was a little bit too weak to feed himself on his own.

"What happened Alura?" Larkon asked.

"You have been asleep Larkon…...for five days…" She said to him softly, with albeit of a tone of sadness as it reminded her when Larkon was laying there unconscious, probably waiting for a quiet piece of death. "I was beside you the whole time…"

She softly handed him the sliced apple for him to start. He ate very slowly at first but the more he ate the faster his energy came back for him to eat faster and a little more.

"I thought you were going to die…" she spoke sadly.

"I don't know that. Probably something happened because I can't remember what happened recently Alura. My ribs hurt bad, but is bearable." He said before adding a chuckle as he remembered his dreams. "Huh, I feel better sleeping rather than awake….was a fine dream…" He revealed.

"Really, what was it about?" Alura asked curiously handing him another slice of apple for him to eat.

When he finished taking a bite he answered. "Well, for reasons I don't know why, but in the dream, there was this tiny little Draenei kid. Who looked maybe three or four years old, and she kept calling me her daddy. I haven't have a clue what made me dream of that but...the dream was, well let's just say it was allot better to dream it then be awake. Such a beautiful dream." he smiled softly.

"Odd….though why?" Alura thought about it.

"I don't know? When I was there I was a farmer. It's laughable when you think about it. So probably it was just a random dream, but It wasn't the first dream when a draenei kid was involved." He said as he took a bite of the apple when Alura fed it to him.

"Wait you have had more dreams of a Draenei child?"

He softly nodded "Yeah I had, but it doesn't matter much. It's just a dream, even if it is a good one because the chances of me having such a life is so low that I would probably be a farmer before that." He joked.

She bit her lip hearing those words. For it made her want to tell him how she felt, tell him that he could have that dream come true if he wanted. She felt her face heat up, her body quiver, and her mouth finding trouble to speak the words she wanted to say. When Larkon moved onto eating the fish she had kept fresh from their catch the other day, he noticed something was bothering her.

"Something wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, nothing it's just that…" She paused, unable to utter her words. Alura took a big gulp before finally telling him. "It's just….I almost lost you Larkon. I was just so afraid when I was beside you the entire time." She finally quivered.

"Look I'm okay now so you got nothing to be afraid of now…"

"Well no it's just you're so very dear to me. Whenever you are near my heart and soul is at peace because...I…" she gulped nervously once more. "I...lo…"

Before she could confess her feelings, the door behind them opened as her mother entered.

"Alura, is he finally awake? I worry because you rushed in the church kitchen..." Averia peeked from the door, with a nod from her daughter for confirmation she sighed in relief. "Thank the holy light for their mercy." She phrased as she went inside and sat down next to them. "I'm glad you're finally safe from death's arms young human. The doctors told me that your wounds and organs are well and I confirmed it when I went here the other week to use my powers to see if it was. But now finally you are awake." She said as she puts a hand on his abdomen once more, letting her hands glow, healing the rest of the bruises away. "But your bones are fractured and no powers could heal, not even mine. So it has to heal naturally, but it would so in a matter of weeks." She assured.

Larkon smiled. "I can handle. Broken bones heal stronger…...so mine is very strong."

Alura felt sad when he told that. Still she just softly nodded and made sure to keep her sadness hidden from the presence of her mother and the one she loved.

"Both my husband and my daughter have told me so much about you. How you saved our daughter and everything."

"I didn't do much." Larkon humbled before looking to Alura. "It was them who went after her. They fought more than me to get there…." He muttered, taking another bite of a sliced apple from Alura.

"Still we are forever in your debt as well as to her friends."

"There are no debt to be paid. It wasn't for people like Alura, or the dwarf, I wouldn't have lasted on that field. No motivation to pull me through. Was just glad that I get to meet her on that night where I was assigned in the palace. That's more than enough." Larkon replied.

"So I hear, was I interrupting anything?"

"No, I was just, talking with Larkon, he told me he was having a dream of some sort, nothing special…"

"So then Alura, I'll go to the inn and tell the rest of your friends. They have got to know the good news that the Light had brought us…." The older draenei informed right before she went on to the door. "I'll leave you two alone for now. I will comeback shortly along with the others."

"Okay…" her daughter nodded softly in response. She watched the older Draenei leave the room to keep true to her word of leaving them alone in the room.

"So what were you saying Alura?"

"Um I'm sorry?" her head jerked up back to look at him with a tiny blush on her face.

"You were saying something. What did you want to tell me?"

Her blush grew once more, again her body heated up and her heart pounded fast into her chest. She knew she wanted to tell him her feelings for him. Yet now just did not feel like it was the right time.

"Oh, um, I was just saying um...I'm thankful to have known you…"

He smiled ."You always say that Alura when you are hiding something. I know you that much to know. But if you hide, hide it, I don't mind much." He said as he tried to stand up. Yet he let his body rest in for a bit as he looked at his hands, his wrist and arms, noticing its skinny expenditures. "Damn I look so thin. I would probably be needing weeks of exercise and be eating allot. I'll probably need to find some jobs again…." He sighed in annoyance.

"Well, if you like, I could find a job for you at the Church. We're always in need of experienced warriors and heavy muscles to help us around…" she answered her face blushing a little more when she said 'heavy muscles' as it made her think of his.

"After a few weeks. I need some effort to rebuild." Larkon joked. "But, I feel like I want to be a little bit care free. Because I remembered now why I got to prison." He said, his lips curling back to a frown as he remembered back in his apartment inn. "It was two guards who raided my inn. They knocked me out cold." He flashed back as his hand goes to on to touch his forehead, feeling the stinging pain.

"Here, let me help with that." her hands glowed with golden light of Holy magic as she softly touched his head where it was hurting him the most. The pain immediately went away for him, earning her a sigh of relief from him.

As he watched her heal the pain from her head he looked up to her face, watching the glow of her eyes and the smoothness of her skin. He would always feel butterflies in his stomach whenever she gets close. "You know Alura. I've noticed a bit of changed in you….." He commented.

"Changed?"

He nodded. "You glowed a bit…..or perhaps bloom." He said before realizing how stupid sounded for himself. "Damn I hit myself in the head real hard huh? I don't really comment much about the looks of other persons." Chuckled Larkon.

"It's okay, I think you'll be fine now that I got your head fixed now."

"Still, I still think you're very pretty…" he smiled.

"You've said that to me awhile back remember? Back in the tent where you made your promise to me?" She reminded.

"I know, and you still are very pretty, beautiful even, to me."

Her face almost blushed a new shade of blue from those words. He still thought that only was she pretty but she was beautiful. She found herself speechless with words and again her body heating up and her heart pounding once more.

"Um, do you, really mean it?"

"I know it." he smiled and cupped her cheek softly with his left hand which still not only held the burned scars of fel fire up to his forearm, but now was missing its ring finger because of the general having it cut off.

He then let his hand fall to his side. "You know. Alura, I'll tell you a secret. Or perhaps it's not a secret. But I would think I'll really be just a farmer. I can't always be a jobless rut in Stormwind. Perhaps….perhaps I'll do just that. I don't want to grow old doing nothing for myself. I want to also be happy, to even have a family if there is a chance for me because deep down I'm not happy." He admitted.

It smiled softly as she took his ruined left hand and held it softly into both of her hands. It was such an odd contradiction. Her soft and gentle angelic soft hands to his rough battle hardened scarred one.

"I understand. I think that would be best for you, just away from all of this violence being forced upon you, away from the military, war, just away from all of it. And I will always be there for you, always." she smiled and held his scarred left hand more tightly but not enough to hurt him in anyway shape or form.

"You mean it?" he asked.

"I know it…" she said as she softly brought his hand to her cheek. Gently rubbing it to her gently angelic soft skin to both ease the feeling of it's pain and to also prove her point as she gave it a gentle soft peck kiss. "You know Larkon…..what you asked in your life is close…." She gently gripped his hand, forcing him to look at her. "It's very close….."

It was that time Larkon knew. "Alura….."

"Oiiiiiiiiiiii Party up lab rats!" Kinar suddenly burst through the door behind them along with the panda, Fylrae, Finan, Thark. "Larkon is alive and well, so eat up champ you're going to die by dehydration and starvation if you don't eat up!" She spoke almost jumping up and down in the room on who excited she was to see him alive.

"What tha?" both the human and Draenei spoke quietly to themselves, still surprised by the all of a sudden appearance of their friends.

"Alright Kinar you don't have to jump up and down all over the place." Finan sighed.

Quon then began writing down on his side for some reason like he always does. Larkon looked over and smiled, giving a small chuckle as his friends gathered on around. "Fylrae, I still did not thank you for helping me." He motioned weakly but happily to the Night elf.

"It's alright. I guess I'll be seeing you from time to time now Larkon now that Thark gave me a room for me to live on indefinitely." The night elf replied.

"Let me get a look at your left arm there young man." the gnome requested, walking over to start inspecting Larkon's fel burned scar forearm and hand as well as his missing ring finger.

"So lad, how ye feel?" the dwarf asked.

"Um, weak but still kicking…"

"Aye, I know the feeling…"

"And hey, where's Durel? I still want to be there when Cassandra gives birth." Larkon blurted, looking over to the dwarf.

"Aahh. Lad. The young lassy already give birth to her babe. Was a boy, but ye probably knew about his name." Thark revealed.

"Oh huh, well, when I can start walking I need go see them, see how they're doing…"

"Damn Larkon, this is some serious fel burn scars, and I see that bastard general took your ring finger. From my experiences with dealing with Warlocks I still see your still hurting from the experiences. I recommend coming to my house when you don't have anything to do and I can have Kinar patch your arm here up with some herbs to help with the pain…" Finan concluded.

"Um Finan you don't have to….The arm is fine, I'll just need to rest my bones because it is broken and they need to heal naturally."

"I insist, you've done allot for me young man, so I owe allot, this would be the least I can do."

Alura who had kept quiet the entire time, looked over to Quon who like her had kept quiet and still kept on writing in his book.

"Um what are you writing there Quon?"

"This scene. I'll be happier than a drunk panda roaming around in Stormwind." Quon said that echoed the irony so much that you can smell the iron.

"So Moira huh?" Larkon recollected back his thoughts when Moira was mentioned. "He really wants to kill me. Don't know what his plans are against me, I have not done something against him. That son of a bitch. Even my own Captain's wife and kid is being targeted by that bastard of a man." He grit his teeth when Moira said that to him back in the cell. He remembered now why he was here.

"Lad, that bastard won't be a problem to ye or Jorden's family. Ye along with Jorden's family is now under the protection of the Church just like the rest of ye squad that still be breathing. Now I know he won't give without a fist fight but as of now he can't touch any of ye thanks to Alura's father."

That actually got Alura to turn her head to Thark. "He actually put them under his protection?"

"Aye lass, he did, he did." Thark answered.

"So with that in mind let's all just enjoy the moment, it's family reunion time and it's time for a celebration!" Kinar excitingly proposed.

"And how do you propose we celebrate here?" Flyrae asked.

"Simple, we all eat out along with Larkon, all on the house from Thark." Kinar answered.

"What?! Aye I didn't agree to that!"

"Oh come on Thark, pretty big please with sugar on top, it's Larkon, he need's a good meal cooked by you and you would do it for him for free right now wouldn't you?"

"Aye yes I would but I did not agree to be cooking for everyone for free." Thark answered not liking the idea of cooking allot for everyone.

The sight actually made Larkon chuckled a little. For the first time since he had come home, he felt happy to be back with his friends, especially with Alura.

The Warlock came in, passing through his signature portal, arriving in a lush swamp that was surrounded with ruins. He came in here waiting for the Death Knight just as he was ordered. He always wondered why in this ruin. It was near the lands of the Alliance, with its ruins due to time and time again people rebuilding structures here before tearing it down to the ground. Perhaps it was something that would enhance the powers of his master, or would it be sentimental. Perhaps it not. His master knew no love, and no emotion on anything.

"You are always wondering Kreus. I see it in your eyes, that you wonder about this place…" The death knight suddenly stuttered from the back.

The warlock slowly turned behind, he was used to the death knight suddenly talking behind. "I came back. The mines in Westfall were perfect. The atmosphere, the humidity of it. I left my demons behind to take care on building our base there. I put a magical barrier on its perimeter, so that anyone who comes would be hypnotized and be sent somewhere else away from the mine." Kreus informed. He didn't put through pleasantries, not when he failed him the first time.

Still as always the Death Knight stared at him from the distance they were at, skipping straight to the point. "How long before your demons will have a proper base?"

"They tell me they found a very special place deeper in the mines that no one has ever reached before. It will be perfect to commence the ritual in secrecy away from the eyes of the Alliance and Horde."

Lazarus did not respond. Merely just watching him with his glowing blue eyes never taking them away. "Have the cultists go and help. We need it operational within a month."

"Of course my lord it will be done." the blood elf bowed respectfully.

"You have been a very loyal follower Kreus." Lazarus spoke, before suddenly appearing from nowhere behind the blood elf. Taking the Warlock by surprise.

"If I may ask, remind me once more of this Pit Lord you wish for me to force to his knees and bow to your feet."

"He's strong, but not as strong as you once you are empowered. He lost his own opportunity to be empowered himself when he let the human and blood elf get away along with their newly born children for his own incompetence. He has nowhere to run once we succeed with this….." Kreus told.

The Death Knight still looked at him almost as emotionally like a statue. "Hmmmm…."

"I warned him long ago he would never be rid of me. And that I would hunt him down and make him grovel to his knees and beg for mercy at my feet." the blood elf spoke with deep anger as fel fire burned in his clenched fist.

There was a quick moment of silence before the death knight spoke next.

"It appears this go beyond personal to you."

The blood elf snapped out of his thoughts of anger of remembering hateful memories of the Pit Lord that destroyed his life. The sole purpose of him desiring more power to achieve by any means necessary.

"Your anger tells me much of your desire Kreus. When we have finished, this Pit Lord will be the on the top of my list of who to to test out my new powers against." Lazarus spoke once more before walking away.

"Of course my lord…"


	40. Finally it Unfolds

It had been a month later after Larkon was rescued from that predicament from the general. He had spending most of the month working out and getting himself back into shape. From what Alura remembered, almost around the third week into it he had already reclaimed his large muscular frame. She hadn't had the chance to talk to him much but she did recall that he was doing a little better seeing as he was able to talk and meet back with the surviving members of Jorden's squad at the Church. That brought him a little peace.

In the meantime she was making her way over to the church. Her mother requested if she would like to have dinner with her family. At first she hesitated since it would involve her father, yet seeing how he saved Larkon and how he did everything in his power to stand up to Moira for him, she figured she could give a chance this time.

For this she still wore her usual priestess outfit she wears mostly. She didn't consider this a special occasion, she considered it to be a normal day of having dinner with the family. The souls rage inside her because of the past between her and her father begins to wane down as the father of time let his hands go to do their work. The hoof steps rang as the church was somewhat quiet, most of the priestess were not present in the altar, some are just sitting and the others could be seen going into their respective dorms. It was as if they were requested to do. It didn't matter to her, at least a closure would finally be met with. It comes to a success where forgiveness has to be delivered. It would be hypocritical on her part to preach to people about love and forgiveness but being the one also whom she preached to be casted out from people's heart.

Her hooves went up as the two graven images of parenthood sat before the table, all alone in this not special, but loving night between the families. The heart as a daughter towards her father shined back when she cried on to his shoulder begging for something to be done for Larkon. Now that was done, and Larkon was returning back to health with eating and exercise, this has to be paid with attention. Because it was these to people who helped him while she was crying for his life, useless. As much as she wants to help, it's in her nature to cry and she felt weak of it, knowing that she relied mostly to others.

"Ma….Dad….." Those words come about. She hadn't used those words in a family dinner ever since she was still a little girl that played toys.

"Welcome Alura thank you so much for coming." Her mother Averia greeted her softly as she walked up and hugged her tightly like any mother would for her child.

Her father stood where he was, he looked nervous as if afraid that even the slightest move could ruin this moment with them as a family.

"Come, sit dear, I personally made our dinner tonight. Just like how I used to, back when we were still a young family." her mother smiled and let her go. "I still try and get your father to cook."

For once, that actually got Alura giggling softly as memories of her father's funny attempts at cooking flashed. "Please tell me he didn't burn the Church's kitchen did he?"

Joven kind of looked away with a small blue blush of embarrassment.

"Wait you actually did?" Alura asked in shock.

"To be honest, I did, on accident…"

It erupted a laughter from Alura. "Oh my. You never changed your skills dad. Did you remember when you accidentally poured boiled water on my hooves when I was a little girl? I know mother didn't let you in the house for a week."

It erupted a snort of laughter from the maternal draenei.

That actually made Joven's eye twitch just a tad in nervousness. "Yeah, that was, wow, so long ago and I can still remember the scream you made." he looked away feeling ashamed.

"But I learned to forgive him after a week for I knew it was not his fault or intentions." Averia spoke as she walked over and kissed her husband's cheek.

"So um, please sit." the Paladin offered and pulled a seat up for his daughter. The laughter waned down and the awkwardness returned once more as silence looms in the dinner table. Joven doesn't know how to start a conversation, not when he was still unsure what his daughters stance would be.

"Dad…." Alura started, calling him again the word that he never thought he would hear from her again. Her lips were straight as her cheeks puffed in anticipation. Like her father she was unsure how the talk would go, but she would not let up.

"Yes sweetheart?" his head bolted up on high alert.

"Oh um, nothing." she nodded, taking a seat at the dinner table.

The older female draenei took her seat and noticed the awkwardness between her family. She knew very well they were both not good at starting conversations. Something she knew Alura got from her father, so she was usually the one who started the conversation.

"So Joven are you going to be okay with your burns?"

"Burns?" Alura asked sounding somewhat worried.

Joven looked at his wife and daughter nervously before sighing, taking off his metal gauntlet to show his right hand was burned almost similar to how Larkon's hand and arm was. The only difference being Larkon's was much, much more serious because of it being burned in fel fire while his father's was from just normal fire.

"I had a run in with a fire mage that didn't go as well and... I'll be fine."

"If that's the case then. There's nothing to say much from me. But I can only say…." Alura fell silent in these moment as her eyes watched his. She could see the hopeful yet reluctantly look on his face as she was about to say her words. "Thank you, for...everything you did for me. For what you did for him, if it wasn't for you I would've….just….thank you father, and….please forgive me if I wasn't much of a daughter to you." She finally released the words from the clutches of her mouth.

His face lit up but only a little. He sat his metal gauntlet down somewhere as he himself passed out the plates for them. "It is alright. I have not been much of a father myself so you are right to judge me." he spoke softly passing down her plate to her.

She smiled a little to him. She saw the slight struggle he had holding her plate to her because of his hurt hand so she softly took it quickly to cause him less pain as possible.

"Dear, if you need help I can pass the food for everyone." Averia offered seeing the pain her husband felt in his eyes.

"It is alright my love. I want to." he smile softly to her. "You know Alura, if you don't want to move back to Exodar I'll respect that. Your mother and I hadn't return back to Exodar since there wasn't much of political affairs since the War died down. So we two will be with you in Stormwind for a bit." He said as he passed down the plate to her.

"That is a very nice news. I'm glad you considered it. I want to go back to Exodar for a bit, but, my friends are here….." She told them.

"Well if you want, you could bring them along, they seem to be strong adventurers and we could use some help here and there. After it'll just be for a little visit. But that's for another time."

With their food now passed down and ready, the three bowed their heads with closed eyes to say a quiet prayer to the Light with clasped hands. When they finished they soon began.

"I hope I did your beef stew the way you used to love it. It's been a long time since I used to cook for us." her mother asked. "It's your favorite. Elara's Caldereta. You always utter that word whenever you get to eat it." She said.

"I love the phrase, but now you ruined it for me because you said it instead of me." Joked the younger draenei, filling the rooms of giggle as the family chow down gently on the plates filled with good food.

She took her first bite from her favorite dish, her eyes opened in surprise. It was so wonderful, exactly how it was when she used to be a child. It had been so long since she had tasted this this that she forgot how it tasted.

"I take it you're enjoying it?" Joven asked with a smile.

"It is heavenly." Alura answered with a soft sigh and smile.

The older male Draenei chuckled as he looked to his wife. "I told you I remembered her favorite dish."

"That maybe true but I remember the phrase she used to say." Aveira giggled.

That earned him a small chuckle himself. As such they continued to softly enjoy their meals.

"So Alura if I may ask, how is Larkon doing now, and if I may, how and when did you first meet hu?" Joven asked with a smile of curiosity.

"Oh yes I'm also eager to know of him more myself." her mother joined in with a smile.

Alura smiled on as she gulped down her food. "He is….alright now mother. He's healthy, he was able to grow his body back by eating a lot and exercising. He kept on thank you two whenever we meet and would always that 'Thank your mother and father for me'" Every time when we are about to depart. I heard he is working still as a merchant's lifter but he works for the church in the weekends now as a poster boy from time to time." Informed the younger draenei.

"With your time with that young man Alura, you really should be considering asking me for advices on how to change diapers when you start birthing my half-human-draenei grandchildren." Her mother suddenly chimed out a topic.

The reaction got both her daughter and husband suddenly choking only little, mostly from the shock and surprise it had on the two. Both Alura and her father had the same reaction as they both coughed heavily from the sudden choke and drunk water to help wash it down their throats and reclaim their air.

"Ahem. Love. Is Alura really, well, not that I'll interrupt. He is still human, but the man has done more than any man I would think of in my long life. So I'm very unsure. I would prefer someone she could grow old with, but then I would want her to be with someone who loves her equally as she loves him." Her father commented on without care about. He was just too carefree and to enamored about their renewed relationship to judge his own daughter's decisions about for her own life.

"So you're not mad or angry for my decision?" Alura asked her face almost a bright blue from the blush.

"Alura, you may still be my little girl but you are grown woman now to make your decisions in life. I know and trust you enough to know that whoever can make you this happy is someone I can trust with my life. I've always been proud of your decisions, from becoming a priestess of the Church, to finding a young man for you to love with your heart. Especially if it belongs to someone who has done more for you then I could, then of course I am happy for your decision. Because as your father, what would make me and your mother happy is to see you happy and satisfied with your life." he smiled.

The younger draenei shuffled in a question as she gulped the small spoon of food in her mouth. "I want to be honest. But I'm truly horrified because I kept on repeating in my mind that if I love him, it would end in a heart break that I can't recover, not that because of our relationship but because something bad might happen to him….." She raised.

Her parents were silent for a moment taking her question into serious consideration. In the end her mother answered. "Those were my thoughts when I was in love with your father. Even to this day I still fear for the worst for him. Yet I knew that if I was by his side that I would do everything in my power to prevent something bad from happening to him."

"As I do the same for your mother. So if you and this man truly love one another, then you both would do what you can each do to prevent something bad happening to the other." he answered next.

"I just want to be happy…." Sighed Alura. "There are times that I wished I wasn't a draenei, because I'm just so afraid that, all of my friends are gone...him included while at that point I'm still as young as a flower."

"Alura, we are here for you. You are not going to be alone in anyway possible. If this human wants you happy then he doesn't want you to mourn him for the rest of your life along with your friends. Know that when that time comes, hold him dear close to your heart, because if you decide to not love again, his memories with you all together would be just like as if he is still beside you. Your friends won't be leaving you Alura, they are beside you, it's just you can't see them but you can feel them they are there." The voice of pure love told as she soothe her own daughter.

"A close friend of mine in the barracks was wedded with a Night Elf. He's human, but she accepted that it is nature for him as a human to die earlier than her, but she said she could cope with that in her remaining years because it is all about the good memories that mattered, that he is just still there, but you just can't see him." Joven told also in effort to warm her up. Their words seemed to take effect on her as a smile escaped her lips at those facts.

She remember similar words from several others speaking to her regarding such words, with her parents speaking as such she knew these words were true enough for her to do what she needed to do. "I love you all. Mother, Father. Though we were never really a complete family because there were at a times when we put our duties above our loved ones, now we can finally abolish that."

Her words brought a tugging smile at the corner of their lips, seeing how their daughter had grown not only as a very beautiful woman but as a very wise, kind, and happy person that is very endearing to those who are near. It is more than a parent could ask for seeing how she matured to be a person that everybody would love. Not only is she kind in heart but is strong also. She may reveal her weakness when she sheds a tear, but deep inside her heart, a powerful lies asleep.

She had finished her meal around this time, so with another sip of water she stood up. "My apologies, I have to go see him right this moment. Thank you both for everything you have done for me, for him." she smiled brightly and excused herself from the table. "Thark said that they are going to Ironforge along with Fylrae, and Finan for some reasons, and Quon is….he is wondering around and said he won't be back till the next week, while Kinar is in Goldenshire with her family. So I have to guard the Inn for a bit with Larkon. Sorry for the short notice…." Alura went on blankly.

They happily nodded in acknowledgement and waved her goodbye as she took her leave.

* * *

He didn't know how long he had been digging in the rain at night. An hour, two hours, maybe more? None of it were the least of his concerns. He just kept digging and digging using a shovel. The thoughts of memories of his rough childhood until the day his captain saved from death on the streets. He would not be here if it had not been for him. He may never be able to give his captain's body the proper burial it deserved but still believed Jorden deserved a proper burial even if it meant burying something Larkon knew was of value to him.

It was his sword that was used to train him from the frail street boy to the young man in his prime that is now. Even though the rain poured down its attacks on him, he didn't let up as he used his might to dig through the soil. It was a special spot to where he would bury his captain's sword. A spot that nobody knows other than him and Jorden, but now also Clayla Jorden Brightsun, the widowed wife that is now training as an church priest for the rest of her days in the church. Shaila Jorden Brightsun his young daughter now aspiring either to be like her father, a fighter and a captain or to be a mage that would cast the magics of ice, and both of them shared his name.

Larkon receded from digging as he walked up to his bag resting in a tree. There he untied the ropes and revealed a sword encased in cloth. The sword was three feet long, the hilt was simple, but imposing in design as a crest of a lion was embedded onto the hilt, as if the sword reflected his own personality, because that's how he was, a Lion that led the donkeys.

The high elf clutched Jorden's necklace right next to her heart, hugging it against her chest as she watched the young human gently walking through the mud while he gently carries the sword. His arms were open as it rested onto his palm as if it was the most expensive treasury there ever was in Azeroth.

With a proper grave now dug up into a respectful hole to bury the owner's sword. Larkon softly as he could sat the sword into a casket he had personally made himself that was big enough to hold the sword. On the top it had Jorden's name, the day of his birth and the day of his death. Exactly almost like how the tombstone was fixed. With the sword inside the closed the casket and softly placed it into the newly formed grave. Treating it as one of Stormwind's mightiest heroes was being buried as they breath at that moment.

"Please, would you mind if I could say something to him before you bury his sword?" The high elf suddenly asked as she walked forward, looking down onto the makeshift grave that symbolized her lover.

The warrior nodded. "Please, do tell."

The high elf softly thanked him as Larkon backed down behind her, holding the little girl softly when Clayla handed the umbrella to him, now infected by the pouring rain. Her eyes were in tears as she looked at the it. "Jorden, my love, I missed you…..I wished I had known that you are here earlier, now that I've known that you departed from this world, my heart ached. Jorden my love, the father of my child you have remained faithful from the very beginning all the way to your death, and now I do to. For the events we've faced separated us years ago I had searched for you while you never stopped waiting for me. Love, I know we never got to be wed, where we planned how it would go, to where the flowers would be, to what the banquet be, it never happened. We never got to say our vows of love, but I would say right now my love, the words that I should have said to you. James Jorden Carson, the father of my child, I would hereby take you as my husband, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, in life and in death, till we meet again." She ended, her eyes were flowing in tears as her hair was draped in water. Her body was still as she looked at the grave for moments on.

When she had finished what she wanted to say, she walked over to the youngman and her daughter. Kneeling down she hugged her crying daughter into a tight embrace. Larkon watched but only for a moment as he walked back over to the grave. He spoke his words in the silence of his mind before proceeding to bury the casket containing his captain's sword.

"You've done your service Captain." Larkon said before he saluted to the grave. "He's a great man…." He said to them.

"He is…" the high elf said before unconsciously patting the head of her half-elf daughter. "He had waited for too long, he didn't move on from me. He could have when we parted after, he could have...but he didn't because...he loved me...and I'll wait for him also, we promised before that whatever we do, each of us we'll do also. I never regretted that promise for us." She told him, a smile eclipsed her lips before she turning around and began to walk away, knowing that her love for him grows happier and stronger. She could now seal that promise, by finally acting her desire to be a church maiden, where she never has to worry about anything knowing her breaking heart had been soothed and had been fixed by their promise.

He watched the family of two walk away, using the umbrella to keep from getting wet from the storm. He looked at the tombstone he had placed moments before he started digging. Like the casket it was carved with Jorden's name, the day of his birth and the day of his death. 'He will be missed but never forgotten,' Larkon told himself. Taking one last look at the grave before heading off back to Thark's Inn for the day.

It took him sometime as the walk back to the Inn felt like the longest walk he had ever encountered. Nevertheless when he arrived he went straight to his room. The atmosphere was chilly, not sure if it was because of the weather or because he was soaking wet. Still when he arrived into his room, he set up some wood at the fire place and began starting a fire. Using one of the candle lights in the room to start the spark and set the wood slowly ablaze.

Once done he looked at himself back at the mirror in his room. He had reclaimed his physique that he had once before being put to a dire situation. Now back in the peak of physical condition and being the definition of trim. His body, however, was covered in so many scars, cuts, bruises, and grazes that look like they come from years of the most intense hellish forms of training, fighting, and hardships where only the strongest and most savage of killers can survive that he has endured over his life. Because, that is what he endured over the years. He had cheated in life and he had cheated death, and he survive with it.

He sighed seeing these scars, each one a memory of how he got them. Especially his badly scarred left arm which ran from his hand to forearm. Not only that but his now missing ring finger on the same badly burned hand. It was his friends that made him get this far. He knew that too well to lie about it. He wondered now what it would be like had he not been injured in the fight in the cave…..his captain put a fight on to that 'creature' but was only struck down because he had to help him because his reflexes and movement were down when his legs and shoulders were injured. He was sure that they would've won that skirmish had he not been injured.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door from the downstairs at the Inn's entrance. He walked over to the door, wondering who could it be at this time of the hour. He thought that It can't be Alura because she knows well enough that the rain would be too hard on and would probably be at the church to wait the rain out to come here tomorrow. Yet just as he opened his concessions on his hypothesis were incorrect as it was revealed to be the person his mind whom he thought was too smart to do what he was thinking.

She was there, all wet in the rain, her umbrella was bent to the point of uselessness, her white hair were draped across her face, covering her eyes as the waters made her transparent, seeing through her robe.

"Alura, what are you doing here?" Larkon rushed in and took the towel whom he used to dry himself off, and draped it across her shoulders.

She quickly rushed in and dried herself off with the towel. Glad to finally be out of the rain. "Thark left me in charge to take care of his Inn while he and the others were gone, remember?" she probed, telling him what it is confidently as she walked inside, sheltered from the pouring rain with warming fire inside the inn which she so badly needed.

He wanted to interject and tell her different. Yet what kind of man would he be to tell her different and force her back out in the heavy rain. Especially now that it was nighttime and the rain only seemed to grow much worse by every passing moment.

"Fine… come on up stairs I got a fire started in my room." He said as he locked the door entrance of the inn, putting the covers on to the windows before finally joining up suit to follow Alura.

Alura just sat on the chair that was coincidentally in his room. The fire in the fireplace was strong but gentle as it provided warmth to them as the rain delivered the atmosphere to shivering temperatures. She turned her head when she heard the door open, following Larkon closing the door. She was still draped over her towel, her wet clothes were transparent that the human was able to see her undergarments. It made him feel warm, but he had to push those thoughts down because he did not want to disrespect her with those kind of things in his mind.

"I thought you were having dinner with your parents?" he asked to start the conversation, taking a seat next to her to warm his soaking cold wet body.

"We just finished. It went, very well."

"How well are we talking?"

She softly smiled. "I was able to forgive my father and now, we're a family once again. Me, my mother, and my father. Our bond becomes one again." She kneel on next to the fire, feeling its warm light to her skin, causing her to feel the comfort that she needed to have in her skin knowing the dampness of the rain attached to her skin.

"I'm glad for you Alura that there is closure in your family now. No more conflicts you know? I did my own closure too about my captain, along with his wife and daughter." Revealed Larkon as he sat down at the edge of his bed, looking at her opposite direction.

"So I guess now all there's left is to look forward to a better future. It's all finally behind us." She stood up and sit down herself on the other side of the bed, looking at him, smiling as the passages brought them to have closure with their friends and families. Especially now knowing that Alura knows Larkon is finally at peace with his captain's death.

"Yeah…" he nodded.

The two just sat there for another long moment. Enjoying the relaxing sounds of the rain pouring outside and hitting the roof of the Inn. Along with the soft warm fire that dried their bodies up.

"So, you okay need more fire?"

"I'm okay Larkon, Thank you for your concern. How about you?"

"Yeah I'm fine." He said but he noticed Alura began to shiver, even though she contrarily suggested she had enough warmth from the fire place. "It's bad to make the water dry up on the skin while still on the wet clothes." He walked over to her and put his hand on the towel to dry her up. "Here Alura, I'll dry you up, you might catch a cold if you are still in those clothes still wet." He said as he rubbed the towel on to her neck.

Her face lit up in a blush but she nodded and stood up to allow him to help dry her off more. "Thanks Larkon, I appreciate that." She told him as she let him be. Her eyes scanning on to where the towel was directed. It rubbed up to her waist, to her back and to her shoulders, but she noticed it would never even come close to her breasts or legs, it just shows how Larkon respected a woman's dignity. How she appreciated and admired Larkon's nature as a gentleman, to give respect to her not as a friend but as a woman. It is a trait that is not found in the nobles she would notice, but rather inside the common people, and she considered herself to be one as to Larkon.

He heard a small chuckle escaped her lips. He was hoping that she didn't notice his blush as he tried his best to avoid her most sensitive womanly parts. But he realized she didn't giggle for that, but rather she remembered a certain scene Larkon had told her many months ago. "You know Larkon, when you told me about the story between the lovers Alleria and Turalyon, where Alleria met Turalyon outside the pouring rain where he assisted her inside his tent. It feels like it is what it is happening right now between us..." She recounted as a deep blush shaded her cheeks. It is truly if anything, the night she would admit. There is no better opportunity for her to have than this moment in front of her.

Though he was surprised of her chosen sentences, Larkon kept composure, trying to see if what he heard was true, that she is suggesting his deepest fantasies of her. He bit his lip, trying to be careful to what he would say. "But we are not lovers aren't we Alura?" He uttered behind her, rubbing out the rest on her hips. And without warning to him, Alura stood up and turned around to face him, letting the warrior feel an array of emotions when her image burned inside his mind. Her all too beautiful face. The way her body blended to her too perfectly.

She held his cheeks with both of her hands. Her face so soft, and so close to her lips as she looked at him deep in his eyes. Finally having the courage to admit to his presence, to let him hear what she had felt. She knew that Larkon is one with the same like her, hiding the truth of their feelings from one another. She wanted to reveal what she felt now, so that she could spend her life with Larkon. So that she may never waste his years before becoming too old to love, because she wants to love him. She want to spend her years with him. "Not yet Larkon...not yet." She told him.

His eyes widened, truly the moment where his fantasies would become a reality. He heard her words and he can't deny those knowing he had felt the same way too. He kept a low profile to what he felt for her, because in fear of their differences in race and that to say he was deeply shocked to hear these words was putting it kindly. For so long he believed the words of the Warlock to be true. Yet now, here he was standing in his room close to the fireplace as she confessed to him and asked if he shared the same feelings as she did for him. He didn't know how but he felt his body instinctively move to cup her cheek gently. For what felt like hours of them looking into each other's eyes with deep blushes on their respective faces. In reality was only minutes. Yet time still felt as if it was slowing down as they found themselves leaning their faces in closer.

"We are just very close friends, but." She began, her eyes never prying away from him as he lips went and trembled by his presence. She felt small, she felt weak under her gaze but it was her who had the courage to confess. Her glowing blue eyes staring directly up to his hazel green ones as her words put the warrior to question. "We could always be...more than close friends."

"Alura?" He stared dumbfounded when he heard her words. He was still like a statue as his eyes went wide as he heard her utter the words that he did not thought he could hear. "I-Alura I don't know how to res-"

She silenced him as she pressed her cheek against his lips before breaking and looking him in the eyes once again. "I realized now Larkon all this month that I had feelings for you. I should have told you earlier, I realized my love for you when we almost kissed at this very room, and your devotion, your attitude, your love for your friends and what you have shown me about your resilience, your kindness, your bravery, and your humble attitude verified that Larkon." Her words just put the human into shock. "I want to know Larkon if you have the same feelings for me….."

"We have the differences of race, age, and image but I'm not afraid Larkon….." She slowly leaned her head in as her blue eyes locked with his hazel green. Her lips were bringing into a close to the moment that their lives and their relationship would stand on to a foundation of love and happiness. Alura wrapped her arms around his neck, having to lean on the tip of her hooves so that her lips could finally be with his. "I'm not afraid…..for I love you…." She muttered once again before finally closing the gap. Finally at long waited last kissed his lips with her soft angelic lips.

His eyes were wide in shock from the kiss, but more so on how angelically soft her lips felt to his. His body felt like it was melting, his heart pounded in rhythm just as hers. No longer did the warlock's words haunt his mind ever again as he leaned in and pressed the kiss deeper. Wrapping his hands around her waist and kissed her deeply with just as much deep affection as she was giving. It was that moment he knew he succeeded in life. That all of his prediction about him failing himself in society or in love, or in life, or in survival. All those things where in to be naught when she kissed him.

Their hearts throbbed in passion as they pressed themselves against each others. It was the perfect image of love that had gone through many events to finally see each other and be with them to wrap themselves in their arms. Her delicate hands around his neck to his strong arms around her waist pictured that perfectly as their kiss went to a heated passion. Slowly pushing her against the wall as their bodies met.

Larkon then breaks as he looked at her deep in the eyes. "Alura, if you want to save 'it' for later to better our relationship before we do this you can say it. If you think we are rushing I can wait for a few more days or years even….." He told her, even with the most erotica moment in his life he still found his own self control for her sake. It was because of the years of hardships that had gone by did he manage to gather those self control.

She smiled at his thoughts. Reaching a hand to cup his cheek. "It's okay Larkon. I want this, I want this because you want this as much as I do. I will not stop this on anything right now other than continuing this with your. For I want this for you just as much as you want this for me." She assured him, clinging on to his neck desperately as her body had heated up.

"Then there's nothing to wait….." He said as he kissed her back once more, this time his hand slowly trailing from her waist to the small of her rear, gently squeezing the beautiful flesh in his hands as his body throbbed in passion, what gamble did he took to do it. "I'll make this magical for you….." He whispered in her ear before kissing her neck.

"It's already magical to me Larkon…." She cooed.


	41. Under the Erotic Night

**Credit also to Alleskeins for helping us write this chapter. Alleskein's is a writer himself who specializes in lemon filled chapters. See his work in u/7462788/Alleskeins and fav his stories and one shots.**

 **Also Chapter 41 of note: It is just a lemon fiilled chapter, it is not somethign significant of the impact, just finally creating a chapter for the building love between Larkon and Alura :) You could skip it and go immediately to chapter 42.**

 **Anyway guys God Bless and leave a review and Fav!**

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"Alura…" He spoke softly to her, bringing her into another heated kiss.

"La...Larkon…" she spoke in between the kiss and pressed her lips deeper into his as she moved her hands to his powerful strong and muscular chest. Her eyes were locked on to his frame as her body trembled against his. The feeling of protection under his significantly larger self made her smile as the image burn in her mind, that she will be bare as he is.

His lips went to her neck, before trailing on to kiss the lope of her ear. Her mouth shuddered at the pleasure as his more experienced play work on to her like a glove to a hand.

He then walked in behind her till large hands came on to the edge of her shoulders before slowly slipping it to her side. The wet clothes were peeled out from her slowly. First starting with the sash tied around her waist and her pink vest. When they were off he kneeled down towards her legs, kissing a trail down until he came across her leggings. With his rough and gentle hands he gently pulled them off ever so slowly. The anticipation causing his Draenei lover to shudder. She let out a tight gasp when she felt him kiss her bare thigh once her legging was off. With it removed he did the same thing to her other leg until both legs were bare with nothing on them.

When he stood back up she then begins to slide her eager hands underneath his tunic and began to grab and feel his toned chest. Her touches felt heavenly and it begins to arouse him to no end. He then turned her back, wrapping his arms around her as he kissed neck from behind before finally slowly sliding her robe down her body.

His touches to her bare skin feeling so much to her that before her robes reached past her shoulder she unconsciously backed her soft rear into his growing erection. She let lose a soft gasp as it went between her covered legs. She blushed madly and attempted to remove herself from there. He didn't want her to let go, especially when he felt her wet womanhood on his covered manhood. He smirked and grabbed her hips tightly. Slowly he rotates her hips atop of his member and began to cause friction between their sexes. She begins to moan softly as He felt his length go between her nether lips and He felt a small point. Whenever He rubbed his length along that point her moans began to sound more and more desperate and needy. He let go of her hips and she fell forward, she gasped loudly as he felt a wet liquid seep into his covered member. She came… so quickly?

The draenei labored in breathing. Her mouth was hung as body began to shiver at the thunderous pleasure. Her legs were buckled, only the arms of her now lover kept her in place to not to fall. All that shaking continued till a hand grab the full of her breast. She gasp so when he did that as she felt stiff when pleasure shocked her body as he gently messaged her breast. Her eyes were in tears as everything in her body began to sweat profusely, while her lover behind almost seem to not break a sweat.

"Let's take this off you Alura….." She heard him whisper just she felt her robes finally slide down at the end of her shoulders.

"Okay…" she spoke softly, shivering from both the cool air of her skin being exposed as well as him slowly sliding her robe off until finally her main form of clothing was off her.

If Larkon had thought Alura was beautiful before, she was was beyond beautiful as her robe finally came off. Turning around to face him, she was almost bare with her now only wearing her pink silk string bra tide at her back, and her pink silk string panties, which were tied at the sides at her hips and had an extremely wet spot.

"I see someone is heated up." The warrior smirked, picturing the beautiful image right before his eyes, her soft blue skin, her angelic face, and her soft and embarrassed expression made him so at ease with her.

When she realized what he meant her face blushed more in embarrassment at the thought she got too excited to the point that she had wet herself through her undergarments. Still standing in the room as one of his hands was on her breast and the other locked itself around her. "I-I…..Larkon it's my first time…."

"Alura, I may be uneducated but I learned more than enough to know that….." He said before changing his tune dramatically. "And I learned how beautiful you are and especially now that there is no clothes between me and your beautiful skin…" He said as he himself began to get rid of his clothes. He removed his tunic first, revealing his battle hardened frame. Though Larkon is conscious with the scars on his skin. "I may not be the perfect prince charming Alura, but I-"

The draenei interjected. "I don't want a prince charming Larkon. I want you….." she spoke with a soft smile.

He smiled to her. Tossing his sleeveless tunic aside to be discarded with the other clothes they had been discarding in the floor. Reaching down he took his boots and socks off. Now in just his trousers he motioned Alura to come up to him. She obliged and was rewarded with a deep passionate kiss. One much deeper than the other as he softly slipped his tongue into her mouth. Something that took the inexperienced Draenei by surprised by she appeared to love it nonetheless. Feeling her natural instincts taking over, their tongues dancing with pure ecstasy as she reached a hand slowly down in between his legs and softly rub his ever growing member through his trousers.

This resulted in a moan into her mouth from her human lover as a reaction, while he continued to fondle with of her soft large breast with one hand and rub her plump buttocks with his other. Accidently grabbing her tail which caused her to release from the kiss and let out a loud moan as it caused enough in her to orgasim again for the second time.

That made the human chuckle, especially by the look of her face when she twisted her body because of the pureness of her sensitivity. It was all awhile so beautiful to tease the draenei for the human. "I guess you are sensitive there Alura?" He teased.

Before she could answer he resumed his attacks as he kissed her neck, bringing out her soft moans through his romantic attacks. He went behind her ears and finally onto the tendrils that rested underneath her ears. Larkon caught one and began to suckle it and teased it too the draenei's reaction. Alura let out a soft gasp as she felt his touch, her body jerking slightly because of her sensitiveness.

"L-Larkon… I-I'm sensitive t-there…t-too." she muttered as it began to wiggle. Larkon began to suck on it harder and put pressure on it. She threw her head up and gasped loudly. The tendrils wrapped around each other as he licked and teased. Larkon then got the end of both of them in his mouth. Biting them softly, making the draenei gasp and moan ever so loudly as he attacked her most sensitive areas. He smirked and teased it as hard as he could, using every bit of his sexual experience to pleasure the draenei also, but it was different for him also, never did once had the warrior had more romantic scene than ever he had encountered in his life. The feeling of holding a maiden in his arms, watching her squirm and moan underneath his prowess filled him not with pride but with happiness and romance inside his fluttering heart, watching her breathing heightens to a point where he can hear it almost ringing like the bells of winter solstice. Larkon then pulled out and a small pop sound was heard.

"Ahhhh…!" She cried and he felt a small wet spot on his thigh. He had never been with a virgin, and on top of that, a draenic woman and one so beautiful such as her. He did his best to pleasure her, letting her know that he had never done as such to any woman he had bed, and she would be the only woman he would bed forever. Larkon began to treat the other pair on the other side with the same treatment. She begins to wrap her legs around his waist and embrace him tightly, her head burying on to his neck also as the two lovers of two races intertwined.

She then slides off from larkon and landed on her hooves at the floor, her hands accidentally reached down at his crotch, feeling it in her hand immediately swell. Her eyes suddenly went wide and fell silent. 'It's enormous….' her thoughts echoed. Her eyes suddenly reached on to her hand that touched in member and could see that her hands can't wrap around through his clothes. "Larkon…..you're huge…." She shyly commented.

"Hmmm? I'm not conscious of my size but, I will be gentle Alura when that time comes." He mentioned as he finally scooped her up and put her in bed. He then slowly crawled forward, kissing her neck, her cheeks, then her lips as his hand groped her bodice.

"Can I...see it?" she asked, her face blushing with more embarrassment.

"Sure but first, let's get rid of the rest of your clothes.

Her blush grew even more as she sat up for him to reached behind her back and slowly untie the strings that held her bra to cover her large breasts from his eyes. With each movement her body heated up more and more as she was going to finally show her breasts to him, the first and only one she would imagine and would do so.

With the strings untied he softly took the top off that covered her glorious mounds from the world. Finally seeing them for the first time and they were huge, but beautifuly shaped in the dimensions of her body in his eyes. Her perfectly sized dark blue arreola's giving her breasts and matching dark blue nipples a gentle nature about them. Her nipples hard from the lust and desire in her blood.

"Are they too big?" she asked. It was no secret or surprise to her at how large her breasts were. They looked quite a handful, she was much larger than most females he encountered, even compared to the usually beautiful and ample Night Elves.

"It's just perfect Alura….the way it blended it to your frame. It just…...arouses me to no end." He uttered as he sat up, then leaning down and kissing her lips. He then removed himself and stand up at the edge of her bed as he watched Alura anticipate. He then take off his trousers, moving his legs out of the way till the piece of fabric finally was tossed aside, revealing what Alura wanted to see.

Alura just had to cover her mouth with her palm as she watched it sprung up in the air. She had learned a thing or two about the reproductive organ judging by the pictures that she had in her class. The way the shaft hand down between her legs, it's length matching the thickness, matching the dimensions of his body. It was enough to make her look at her arm for comparison, and it made hers small, at the tip of the plump reddish head to the veiny shaft all the way to the base where the sack of his seed lies. Her eyes then slide down under the base of its shaft where the plums that bears his seed. They were big, so full of the fresh seed of an virile male. It almost as if the call of nature was ringing in her mind to copulate.

She watched him crawl down on to the bed, slowly destroying the distance between him and her. Alura felt intimidated by Larkon, everything in this scene to her felt intimidating, not only for the reason of size but also in aura. A flush of color entered her face again as he began to massage her thighs softly. She was gasping again.

Larkon then attacked her naturally gifted chest with his mouth. Larkon caught a dark blue nipple and began to suckle it softly. She grabbed his head and gasps, he looked up and saw that her one visible eye was half open and her mouth was wide open as he saw a stream of heated breath escape her mouth with each moan. After he finished with the other nipple, Larkon grabbed them both and started sucking on them rough and hard. Taking both into his mouth for his tongue to swirl around and suck and bit only gently on the hard nipples. To her it almost felt like she was feeding a newborn baby, despite her breasts were not producing milk and the man who sucked on them was no newborn. Still it made her moan almost scream in pleasure to no end. She soon felt a sudden surprise when he places an eager finger between her lower lips through her panties. She wailed loudly as he felt her clitoris and her wet lips.

"Gaahsp-LARKON!" she cried loudly as her tail wrap itself onto his wrist. Not taking it anymore she felt his hands reach up to the strings that held her final piece of clothing together. Slowly untying the strings until they were untied, she felt his hands began to slide down the last of her remaining clothes between her legs slide away from her, finally bare naked, nothing else between them, just their skin in contact with each other.

He looked down at her crotch, her lips were swollen and puffed as her arousal was at its peak. Her beautiful nethers were closed, yet so swollen, only covered by a small patch of glistening snow white hair that perfectly matched the beautiful white color of her hair and eyebrows. It was in the shape of a soft faded pubic triangle at the top of her silky folds downwards towards her clit, just beside her clitoris, all adding more to the beauty of it.

To her surprise he suddenly plunged a finger inside her and starts twirling aggressively. Her eyes rolled in pleasure as he attacked her. She just felt so full when he did that, and that was only his fingers. She couldn't tell what it would be like for the main course.

"Larkon by the Light I-my body won't stop shuddering!" she cried loudly as her tail wrap itself onto his wrist. Alura finally found a room to breathe as her pleas were heard and Larkon sat up and looked directly to her eyes before bending down and kissing her on the lips.

Alura responded by kissing back, letting their tongue dance around, mixing their saliva without care as lovers. For long straight minutes the kissed as if they have been deprived of their love for one another for so long. Yet he wanted more for her. Looking down he saw the squirting juice and felt his mouth water. He quickly removed his lips from her's and laid her down softly on the bed. Her head resting gently on the pillow as he lowered his mouth and put it on her squirting womanhood.

"AHHH!" she cried as she threw her head backwards. He begins to drink her nectar as it kept pouring out her womanhood. She begins to writhe and twist. He dipped his deep into her and she tightens her tail, hands and legs around his head.

"Ah…! Ahh… Ahh…. Ahhh!"

Her moans spurred me on as he explored her gushing womanhood. He had to hold her hips down just so she doesn't leap out of his grip; she was fired up like an animal in mating season. Larkon then dipped as deep as he can into her and felt a small barrier. She seized up as his tongue touched it. She was a virgin…..and he will be her first man or probably be even her only man.

Larkon backed away from her nether lips. He moved up to her face and looked into her glazed, glowing eyes. Her eyes were so beautiful, and they were a beacon of hope in his lonely heart.

"I didn't realize… if you aren't comfortable… we don't have to continue."

She put a soft hand on his cheek and caresses the left side of his face. She then kisses him, it was a quick and chaste one, but it showed him that she allowed him to continue. He smiled and just slowly went back down to her woman, kissing it again before using his fingers to part her lips. He could just see the narrow entrance inside of her, bearing a lavender blue color. It looked so fresh, so beautiful, an epitome of maidenhood. He moved back up once more to tell her that he would finally do it.

She then felt him move his lower body as she saw him position himself against her. Oh she can see their differences in size when she saw his manhood against the lips of her nethers. It's girth was so much thicker than what she saw in her class about biology, that he the head of his shaft and along with the shaft is bigger than her entrance. It was begging for a taste of her.

"T-that is g-going inside of me…? W-would it even fit?"

"We can try." He said in a husky and needy voice that he did not even recognize.

"W-would it hurt Larkon?"

"Yes...though it is only for a bit, but later on it will be pleasurable.." He assured as he pressed it against her. Her lips were beginning to stretch in effort to receive him inside of her.

His thick head spread apart her tender lips, preparing her love tunnel for the foreign intruder. A few inches more, and the holy promise she made to her church would be broken forever. A thin wall awaited Larkons ever moving shaft.

His tip touched the sensitive membrane, making Larkon a little anxious. He was worried about her actually being about to abandon her principles. Yet as his eyes crossed hers, there was not a hint of doubt on her face.

"Alright, one, two, three…" with one small thrust he passed through her sacred barrier and now forever taken her virginity. Her body felt the thrust as it responded to the pain inside of her. She screamed in pain as his shaft parted her lips, causing pain and discomfort. A small whimper escaped her lips as she felt him more and more inside. This was it, there was no turning back now for her. For now she had given her sacred flower to him that she swore to keep in place for so long. She was now fully committed to the continuing of this act of love as much as he wanted.

She began to gasp as he move deeper and deeper. He felt more and more resistance. He looked at her and saw a trail of tears roll down her eyes. Her teeth were gritted as she tried to resist the deep stinging pain inside her abdomen.

"S-stop…" She cried as she looked at him with pleading eyes. "It hurts Larkon…..it hurts so bad…."

Larkon stopped half way into her, yet already he can see a trickle of blue Draenic blood.

The priestess whimpered and hugged Larkon tightly as she bore the pain of her deflowering. His shaft rested inside of her but her walls squeezed him like a vice as they still needed to adjust to being filled out as it stretched to its limit to the point of breaking. She straddled him and cried softly into his shoulders. Larkon grabbed her head as she held onto his neck. Lapping at her ears affectionately as she got more used to him, though still the discomfort was still there because of size. Still, whatever pain she felt or discomfort were only dull now, and it only added to the now giving pleasure. After what it seems to be an eternity, she kissed the side of his neck.

"Larkon… please… I need you…" She moaned as she looked at him deeply in the eyes. Her hands unconsciously sliding into her stomach and to her waist till she felt a small bulge protruding through her skin. She leaned to look down and saw his shaft inside of her through the edges of her skin, and it was only half-way inside.

"Are you still okay Alura?" Asked Larkon, concerning her for.

The Draenei nodded back. "Yes I'm fine Larkon. The pain is still there and is not going away but….it's only dull now cause, I feel a bit warm down there…." she moaned a reply.

"Okay just tell me whenever it starts hurting or anything and I'll stop." He then pulled out and thrusted slowly back into her. This time he was carefully trying to stick his entire shaft inside her.

"AH!" she cried and dug her fingernails into his back. He placed his mouth at the base of her neck and kissed her there while continued to thrust into her.

"Mnnnn!...*smack*...hmmm!"

Larkon looked at her as both of her eyes were closed and she was in total bliss. Her face was flushed and sweaty, like the rest of her body. Her womanhood was so deeply warm, soft, wet and tight, and with each thrust, it became even more and more moist.

Her legs twitched as the pleasure of his thrusts overwhelmed her. Harder and harder he pumped his hips to let her know that he longed and hungered for her like no one else.

The beautiful Draenei beneath him looked so enchanting as she moaned and tossed underneath him as she lusted for his penetration. Each pistoning motion of his hips touched her deepest and most sensitive spots.

Her inner walls wiggled around his member like worms and savored his length that rubbed every fold. Alura gripped the sheets as she clenched her eyes shut from the extraordinary pleasure. Never in her dreams did she think she would ever have sex with the one she loved, or ever imagined it's feeling to be this pleasurable. What's shocking to her is that it was only the half of him.

She pried her lips away from his lips "AHHH!" she cried louder and louder, and he just thrust. She could feel her climax approach on the horizon. Her insides twitched and craved for the release of an orgasm. She grabbed Larkon with her arms and wrapped her legs around his back as he thrust down into her, her juice gushing with each thrust and a wet sound being heard with each thrust. Each time he pulled out further and moved faster. Every time he pumped into her, a gratifying and nervous ripple coursed through her. She squeezed her muscles around his member, coaxing soft moans from her and propelling him to move faster.

Larkon wrapped his arms around her lifted her up while she was still impaled by his shaft. Causing them to be in a sitting position in the bed where he had to. Then he thrusted forcefully inside of her that she felt a little bit of pain, but just as he did her body had enough. She locked lips with him as they kissed deeply once more twirling their tongues around in each other's mouths as he felt her soft blue hard nipples rub against his hard muscular chest, Her walls shook around her as it squeezed and stretched around his member as her climax approaches. Her lips tried to contain a pleasurable scream from her, but it was a failure as her mouth opens for a silent scream.

"Larkon-I-I-I can't stop myself from feeling the pleasure!" She panted. "You're so amazing."

He grinned with pride as he watched her bounce, her beautiful face contorting to such a cute expression that it made him more aroused than ever before. Then there were amazingly large breasts that bounced in rhythm with her body rubbing his hard muscular chest. It was almost as if their bouncing jiggling rhythm were hypnotizing him to slam harder. He slammed his hips as his shaft tries to pry the defences of her womb, trying to enter her chamber where all life formed. His length was slick with the mixture of her wetness and her blood, as their hips met against each other.

Larkon removed himself from the wall and finally rested his back on the soft bed. His eyes were full of passion as he repeatedly slams his hips against her in effort to put all of himself inside. He could feel the head of his shaft against the entrance of her womb, pounding on its defences to enter.

Alura just let him do what he would do, as pain and pleasure took her over to the point of no control. Her eyes rolled every time his head slammed against her cervix. Her nether lips were wetting itself as the shaft of her lover was coated with her essence, foaming around her walls as he stretched her to the point of hurting. Yet for her the pain only seems to add to the pleasure even more.

She leaned in and kissed his lips before resting her head on his shoulder. Her climax had her spent and out of energy. Despite how she wasn't doing anything. Her hot breath was labored and her chest heaved as sweat ran down all over her body. He held her hips with his hands to keep her steady in place. Yet the sight of her large breasts as they bounced with every bounce she made spurred him to want to take those soft orbs of flesh into his hands. His desires had won, reaching his hands up, he gave into his lust as his hands gripped onto the bouncing large orbs of flesh and squeeze them as tight as he could. Wanting to feel more of her body as much as his body would allow him.

She screamed in a loud pleasure as she felt her breasts be squeezed by his rough hands. Despite her breasts being more than a handful for even his large battle harden hands, he was still able to squeeze them tightly. Desperately trying to feel as much of her as he can. She couldn't handle the intense pleasure. Their genitals thrusting into one another, her breasts being playfully squeezed.

With the combined pleasure of his thrusts and his fondling, Alura felt herself again edging closer to her looming climax. She threw her head back as he fucked her from below, thrusting his crotch upwards, clashing with her hips. It sent ripples through her body as the tingling of her orgasm drove her insane.

"It's coming! I can feel it again! LARKON! LARKON!"

Her back arched in ecstasy. Larkon had the heaviness of his member buried deep inside her love tunnel as Alura hit her limit. Sweat ran down all over her body from the exhilarating pleasure. She panted and gasped for air as she caught her breath. She was spent, and the bangs of her hair stuck to her forehead, her hot body almost steaming.

Larkon sat up and hugged her naked, wet body against his own. He smiled warmly as he put his forehead against hers. Their eyes locked and they chuckled in the feeling of their blissful union. They could feel their genitals desperately embracing each other, already itching for the next round.

Still, they took a moment just sitting there, staring into each other's eyes and reminisced about everything that led up to this wonderful moment.

"I'm so thankful to have gotten to know you that day at the party in the castle."

"And so am I…." she spoke happily leaning her head to bring in another deep passionate kiss.

The flashing light of the storm contrasted with the gentle glow of the fireplace. It was a combination of chaos and gentleness. A feeling that all too well described the two lovers. Their illuminated bodies caressed each other tenderly and gave warmth in the cold night.

Their lips pecked at each other as Alura kept Larkon's cheeks cupped in her gentle hands. Their smiles never left their mouths as their hearts beat in tandem and told of their burning love and desire.

"Larkon…" Alura whispered into her lover's ear.

"What is it, Alura?"

"Will you hold me? For the rest of the night? Will you show me what your love feels like?"

Larkon's eyes, usually stoic and manly, turned soft and caring as he pulled her body tighter against his. "Anytime Alura. Just relax okay? And let the pace be slow…"

Tears welled up in the draenei's eyes "Larkon…" she sighed happily as she locked lips with him once more.

But both of them looked down as they felt a burning sensation in their loins. Larkon's member throbbed inside of Alura, itching to go. Making Alura in turn twitch with desire, pulsing through her insides.

"Guess you are ready for the next round." Larkon smiled dirtily.

Alura smiled as well as she herself could not hide her sexual craving anymore. "Can I take the lead this time? I know I'm not experience but I can try."

Larkon kissed her one more time before being pushed down onto the bed by the eager female.

She was still sat up on his lap as his member was still snugly embedded in her dripping, hungry slit. She gyrated her hips to get a feeling for her movements and spurred on the excitement of their lust.

She turned around in effort to do something for him at least, even if she is inexperienced. Her body turned, showing her back to him. Revealing her finely shaped plump rear. His strong fingers dug into her divine flesh, taking a hold of her bulging behind. Alura cooed as her hips gyrated on his lap and pushed into his caresses.

She had a feeling of belonging to him that made her even more certain that Larkon was the only man who could ever satisfy and see her this way. With her back turned to him, Larkon had a hard time seeing her face. If he did, he would be greeted with grimaces of pure ecstatic pleasure and enjoyment. Her voluptuous butt cheeks clapped as they met with his meat and Larkon's hands massaged them roughly.

But Larkon's eyes wandered from her fine rear a bit further upwards. Alura's tempting tail swiped around freely, twitching with each of her downward slams. It was just too tempting not to touch it.

Alura, unaware of her lover's temptation, kept up her rhythm of steady grinding and riding. She suddenly gasped when she felt a hand suddenly tugged her tail. Her eyes slanted blissfully sensitive tail was stroked, putting her into an even more hazy state.

Tenderly, he ran his hand up and down as if it was a shaft. Alura was drooling from the sudden shiver that ran down her spine. Her sensitive tail was being fondled just after she got used to him manhandling her rear. She was not used to this much stimulation at once and tensed up violently. Her back went stiff, but as her eyes were fixated on gazing up to the ceiling, she did not waver in her attempt at luring out his seed. She still humped him in wide strokes, making sure his length got to feel every corner of her tight hole.

Larkon, meanwhile, trailed his hand up her tail until he reached the sleek end of it. Alura clenched her teeth as if someone had touched a man's tip. He smirked as he toyed with it, flicking it around with his thumb. With a wide open mouth, Alura gasped in exhilarating pleasure as her hips still continued to hump him as if she was in absolute trance. She would not be able to hold it much longer.

She felt his hand stroke her tail as once again another build of climax was approaching. Her eyes went wide as she painfully gripped his shaft with her walls, causing her to release another set of her nectar. So in return, she used her hands to squeeze the sack of his manhood, feeling the heavily pent up seed stored in his sack for her.

He just smiled as he looked at the fine picture. His pride swelled as he could see the lips of her nether so stretched that it looked liked it thinned out. He wanted to release so deep inside of her.

"Larkon!" she cried as she came again. Her tight womanhood squeezed into his manhood deliciously. That had broken his sanity. His passion was unleashed to its fullest extent, making him lost in his own pleasure.

Larkon suddenly bursted up from his bed and flipped her to her fours and took her from behind, like a dog in heat. Finally thrusted behind, his hips driving into her much harder than ever before, baring his strength twice as much to thrust inside. He thrust into her harder and harder, not waiting for her to recover from her orgasm.

"Ahh… AHHH! AHH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH! AH!"

Larkon could feel her whole body shake at his thrust and the sight of her raised rear and bouncing giant breast and her plump rear cheeks jiggling with each thrust spurred him on. Her tail was going crazy now, and so was she. Her arms lost her strength and all she can do was wail on top of her lungs as he thrust into her.

"AHHHHH!" she cried in ecstasy and came. He felt her womanhood tighten on his manhood again which he ignored it and thrust even harder. He can feel her juice squirting everywhere as his manhood ravages her womanhood. Larkon grabbed her bouncing breasts and massaged the soft fleshy orbs. He had an idea, He let go one of her breasts and played with her clitoris with his spare hands.

"L-Larkon… Larkon… by the light… Larkon… Lar… Lar… LARRKAAHHHH!"

The head of his shaft was dangerously pounding on to her, the entrance of her womb were now weak as it slowly gave in to the introducer. Then finally, baring his chance Larkon removed himself from her till only the head remained and slammed back with thunderous force. Her entrance gave way and made way for his manhood to invade her womb. Deep stinging pain was what the draenei felt at that moment, as the bulge in her waist were now slightly below her belly button. She could see that he was in her womb as she took all of him inside.

She felt his arms grip around her breasts as Larkon leaned into her ear grunting. Her tail lowered itself down to wrap around the two large grapefruit sized orbs safely hanging down his sack. Squeezing them together with her tail to force them to produce more of the liquid of life.

The next thrust inside her, caused a loud slap, as their hips collided. Alura was rocked with pain as her cervix was spread wide open. Before Alura could react further, Larkon yanked his entire shaft out of her, before smashing it just as deep as before insider her.

Alura moaned from the sear amount of pleasure that rocketed through her body. Wanting more, they got back into another rhythm. Using a hand he reached down and lightly rubbed her clitoris. With a yelp of surprise, Alura nearly jumped, if it wasn't for the male on top of her.

Larkon continued to lightly massage and push on the little mound, while thrusting the life out of her. Alura felt her front legs buckle beneath her, and she fell onto the bedding, but kept her butt high up in the air, for Larkon to ravage.

Looking down at her, Larkon saw that her eyes were half closed and her tongue hung out. A grin formed across his face. Larkon grins, and reaches for both her butt cheeks. Grabbing on tight he starts pounding away as fast and as wild as he can as if both their lives depended on it.

"Oh, Larkon yes it felt so good, uh!" moaned Alura with a scream before he slapped her round behind, making a loud smacking sound while the other hand groped her other cheek.

Larkon felt her walls tighten around him after he smacked her. "Larkon… oh Larkon," she said between gasps, as her rear was spanked once more. Larkon reached down and rubbed his hands along her body.

He continued to pound Alura as rough as he could. His dick throbbed and pulsated, the veins in his shaft and testicles pulsing hard, almost threatening to burst, the tip of his member violating her inner sanctum with every pump of his hips.

With him thrusting her from behind, the bed creaked and rocked about as Alura took his hammering by moving back against it in synchronized movements. But for Larkon, even that heavenly rhythm wasn't pleasurable enough.

Holding on to Alura's busty body, he rose up from his kneeling position up onto his feet. With them planted firmly left and right of her calves, he hunched over her and continued to swing his hips violently.

Alura was taken aback as she was pierced even harder and deeper than before. Where his shaft could only reach so far inside her before, he was hammering her deepest depths now. With piston motions and a tight grip of her middle body, Larkon thrusted as with long strokes, rubbing her insides from front to back.

He leaned over her, panting into her ears with his hot breath. He was as aroused as a wild dog in heat. Her hips clashed with his hard, as she took as much of his love as she could. Her walls greeted him every time he entered by squeezing them and never wanting to let go.

The head of Larkon's shaft swelled up and already tingled as the stimulation slowly took over and overwhelmed him.

Larkon yelled as he all of a sudden felt his climax coming quick, and coming hard. He felt like the balls within his sack were on fire as he tried to hold it in. He could feel the life within them swish around in his sack, as his orbs became bloated, crushing each other in an attempt to get him to release. With each passing second he felt the pain in his balls intensify by tenfold as he reached back to grip her soft rear and squeeze it tight with his hard hand.

"Alura, I can't hold it in any longer, I'm going to release" grunted Larkon as he plunged his shaft past her cervix and entered into her womb.

She suddenly squeezed the orbs of life within harder to try and squeeze all white cream liquid out of them. Larkon's muscles flexed, the veins in his body pulsed with adrenalin and endorphins, his body began shaking violently as he felt his liquid of life slowly crawl down his lengths from his squeezed orbs and closer to the entrance within his phallus.

"Larkon, I'm *moan* I'm, *moan* I'M, IM AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,"

Alura's hips slammed into him, her vaginal walls, clamped down on the penis inside her as her fluids was sprayed all over both of their private parts. Feeling this, Larkon was thrown over the edge as he came himself for the first time.

Larkon roared out continuously and gripped Alura's rear cheeks hard as his member could no longer hold his overflowing and overwhelming amount of seed anymore. His shaft contracted and opened to erupt violently with a torrent of spunk from his large sac. Hard painful months of buildup and preparation exploding like a geyser inside of his lover as Larkon's sack began to pour it all out releasing the floodgates and as the cream flowed forth and filled her womb, completely. His seed flowing so deep inside her, so eager to take root in her garden

Blasting hard, long loads of cum that never stopped, directly into her womb and filling her with his virile seed. Alura never felt anything that felt better in her entire life. Her legs shaking uncontrollably, her arms collapsing and her head arched back as a loud animal like howl was released and her womb began to swallow his essence, unconscious that their acts could lead to a result.

Alura threw her face into the pillow and looked at him from under her body. She watched as his balls wring themselves dry and shrivel up as spurt after spurt of his microscopic children traveled from his reproductive organ and into her womb. The juices she let go, assists the swimming sperm on their journey into her.

She gasped as she felt the seed of life enter her. So warm, it felt as though someone sprayed her insides with warm water and she loved it, instinctively she moaned at the sweet feeling of his seed brushing against her walls. He continued to release more and more, as it didn't seem like it was going to stop. If it weren't for the her below him, He could have sprayed the bed with his essence but that wouldn't have been one-tenth as satisfying as burying himself inside of her, feeling her tightness and softness around him as he blew his pent up frustrations, she thought.

Larkon began to shake violently was the pleasure was too great, so he began to thrust as fast and rough inside Alura while he continued to fire the last spurt of his essence

Surprised by this sudden movement Alura moaned as she felt another climax coming as more and more ropes of Larkon's seed entered her womb. Unable to hold it in, she let out one final scream as she came once more. His shaft quivering with each ounce released, sending another pulse of pleasure through him and into her as her womb swallowed took every drop.

Soon after Larkon, stopped shooting his streams of seed inside of her and collapsed on top of her. They stood still, one on top of the other, as they were catching their breath while enjoying their moment of ecstasy. As sometime past, they felt there separate heats die down, and there senses came back to them. Larkon began to remove his now limp length out from inside Alura, a thick white string of the essence of life from his sack stretched, from the tip of his shaft from inside her hole. The light from the room causing it to glisten in beauty in someway.

"No, Larkon, please leave it in there."

With a smile he softly pushed his shaft back in her to keep his seed inside her. "I feel so happy Alura, that we shared the same feelings…..I thought that…"

"I love you Larkon, you now know that, not only as a friend but also as my lover. We don't need to do anything right now Larkon. We just look forward to our future on what may lie ahead. There is no tears to be shed no longer, there are no pleas because all those things, the pain, the hurt, the sadness is behind us. We've gone through it, both you and me and we turned out fine, realizing that we love each other….." She said as she turned herself around with him still inside her so she may kiss him, pulling his head down before releasing it once again to say more words. "I will remember this moment on till the end of my time, nothing short could take me from you…."

He kissed her one last time before pulling himself out, feeling deflated now, his feelings of warmth was no longer about physical love, but emotional one. He just wants to love her, hug her, wrap his arms around her to feel the warmth of her skin under the cold rain. He'll do anything for her, even if it means to sacrifice his happiness, his life, his dignity he'll do it for her, no matter the cost. He lived because she was there the whole time, when the nightmares consumed him in his sleep, she was there to keep them at bay, till the nightmares changed to a beautiful dream.

He rested his body as he wrapped his arms around her, the room filled with the aroma of love making, the two even never bothering to wipe the sweat or their essence that stained the cloth of the bed.

"I love you Alura…." he smile softly while never taking his eyes off from her's.

"And I have always loved you…" she smiled softly herself. Like him never taking her glowing blue eyes off from his.

Closing their eyes, they held hands with each other as they reached their mouths to one another for another kiss. This one deeply passionate and more romantic then the others. One that showed their love for one another was absolute and confirmed. They continued to use the remaining ounce of their energy to continue to kiss each other deeply in their lips until they would soon drift into a deep and passionate sleep together.

For the time unbeknownst to them both, their acts have culminated in a result that would ensure new life. The acts of passion and love burned inside her womb as his seed was so eager and happy to take root within her fertile garden and bore new fruit and fill it. It was a day where making love was dangerous for the draenei if you do not plan to have a family. An act of nature that all their love making had led up to. A love that bound them. A love that created something beautiful as the moon itself.


	42. A New Life Unfolds

The days were kind to them. Their peaceful life blooming with happiness. Nothing happened since the time passed by and their problems waned for naught. All they need to do now is just wait for nature to take it's course. Even though it is not natural for Draenei and Humanity to live together, to love together or to raise a child together. But they let live despite nature's pleas.

Sitting down on the bench porch just outside the house watching him sow the blessings of the harvest. It was more than enough to fill their pockets to the brim and then some. Her eyes were locked on him as her lap was sitted on by her child. Now four years of age, time skipping past the soil without as much as a glance towards them. It just really shows her patience, that four years skimmed so fast it feels like as if it was only a day.

"Ma, hehe, daddy keeps on bumping on that pumpkin accidentally." Her child giggled, watching her paternal parent with innocent happiness. Her flowing white hair was now skipping past her shoulders, now hitting the blades of her shoulder, with her eyes matching her mother's luminescent blue glowing eyes. She began to look like her mother more and more, her features almost as identical as hers.

"Ma. Why are all three of us different? Daddy has light brown skin and we have blue skin, and I got feet like daddy and you got horse feet also! And we have horns ma but daddy doesnt. Why are we so different from each other?" The little girl asked so suddenly out from the blue. "I asked daddy a long time ago, probably one hundred years ago! And he said he can't answer it. So can you answer please ma."

She smiled and just answered. "We're different because you are a product of two races. Me your mother a draenei and daddy is a human. And it resulted you, where we combined features to have you." She said.

"Oooooh ma what is a draenei? And What is a human?"

"Well a draenei are people like me and your grandparents who have hooves for feet, tails, and blue skin along with horns and tendrils, we get to live for a very long time honey, and with you bearing from me you do to. And humans are people that look like your daddy. They have no tails or hooves or horns or tendrils, they have skins ranging from white to dark brown skins." She answered.

"By long time you mean forever right? Yay daddy and momma is going to be with me forever!" The draenei-human child cheered.

Alura's expression went from a happy look to a deeply sad one. She did not know how she would tell her child the truth about how humans cannot live as long as she and other draenei live. It was almost heartbreaking to her as a small tear came from her blue glowing eyes.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" her child asked in deep concern, taking notice the shiny drops of water coming from her mother's eyes.

"It is nothing dear, I just have some dust in my eyes that is all…" she smiled and rubbed the small tears from her eyes. She watched the human across the farm sow the crops. Letting his body do the work for them, to provide form them without any second thoughts. But she knew him staying with them won't last long compared to her. And even then from the distance she could see it…..one sickle of white hair beginning to sprout.

"Keep it together Alura. It is just nature, he doesn't want you to be sad." She said to her mind and just faked a smile to her daughter. "Oh shhh. Don't think about anything honey. Mommy and Daddy will be here with you for a long, long time." Alura comforted.

"Mommy, where do babies come from?" her daughter suddenly asked out of the blue once more.

To say her mother's face was blushing was an understatement. Of course she knew her child would ask the simple question of where babies came from, almost every child asked that question.

"Mommy, your face is bluer?" her daughter asked next while tilting her head to the side in question.

Her mouth opened but no words came out. For there were none at this moment on how she could answer that. To her relief however, her husband arrived after finishing his work for the day. He was shirtless of course due to the hot weather they were in and was drying the sweat off of his body.

"So how are the two most important girls in my life doing?"

"I asked mommy where babies come from and her face turned bluer daddy." the toddler mentioned to her father.

He looked at her face and laughed. "I told you, we can have that talk when you are a big girl like mommy." He said as he leaned down and kissed both of their foreheads.

That earned a soft giggle from the small human-draenei toddler. She yipped in excitement when he picked her up and carried her into his arms. She was so very tiny compared to him. "Come on, let's get some lunch. I'm so pent up with this. It's reminding me when Captain Jorden used to train me." He chuckled.

Alura kissed him. "He is still the captain that you know…." She commented smiling. "He'll be proud watching you from above right now."

She felt a gentle muscular arm wrap around her waist to bring her closer to him. His right arm carrying their small child and his left arm softly wrapped around her waist.

"I know, and I have you both to thank for that." he smiled softly to her before kissing her one more time.

* * *

Her eyes opened wide, awake and alert from the dream she just had. Looking around she realized she was still naked under the bedsheets with Larkon holding her close and gently. The room still smelling of their activities as the rain continued outside. She looked at the clock, it was already four A.M the night is still looming over them.

"Hmmm….Larkon?" Alura motioned.

Larkon stirred. "Yes Alura? You awake?" He said as he looked at themselves. Still realizing that they were naked and still not contemplating that they are together. "Wow…..Alura I'm…" He wrapped himself around her. "It feels like a dream. You saying you loved me wrapped me up."

Alura kissed him on the lips. "This is no dream." She smiled before leaning out, moving her hands on her waist, feeling a little bit of sore. "Uhh….I'm feeling a bit sore down their Larkon. You're just…..so...endowed that it hurts a bit." She said.

"Oh I'm sorry it's just, you were so beautiful and, I kind of lost a bit of control of myself. Sorry if I…" he was silenced from finishing when she kissed him in the lips another time.

"It's okay, you were still amazing. Never in my dreams ever came close to imagining what we just shared just now." she smiled with a soft blush across her cheeks. "And besides Larkon….we're lovers now. No signals or anything else, no need to blush to ourselves when we see both of our bodies for we are now one." She said.

He nodded a little, checking the time from a clock closeby.

"It's a bit early in the dawn and the sun won't rise up for another two hours. And the rain is a bit cold, do you want to go down stairs Alura? I'll prepare something for us." He offered as he stood up, shaving himself from the protection of the sheet.

"Where too." She nodded towards his direction, covering herself up of in the bed sheet. She stood up and looked at the bed stain were there was a lot of sweat and a bit of dried up blue blood, staining the sheet. "We're really not careful here aren't we Larkon. We just stained Thark's inn bed!" She chuckled.

Larkon looked over the stained bed for a moment. "Think he'll notice?"

"Larkon!" she playfully shoved him a little.

"I was just kidding. Alright I'll be sure to get it cleaned before he get's back otherwise he'll use my quote on quote baby making factories for target practice." He chuckled. "But still. I still can't believe it that it happened Alura….I mean. .There are some people who told me it's a crime to be even near you, but yet here we are…."

Alura smiled. "If it is a crime then I must be arrested for letting it happen." She kissed him as they proceeded out to the door. "We're still young Larkon, don't let their words keep you down, not when you have friends and….." She looked at him deeply. "You have me…"

He was silent for a moment. Taking her words to heart seriously and thought. It was almost if her words have completely erased the words the Blood Elf spoke to him a month or so ago.

"Of course…" he reached a hand around her waist and brought her into a deep embrace complete with a romantic kiss. The two closing their eyes and melted into each other's kiss. Smiling and breathing through as they chuckled through their kisses. Their happiness in small is sometimes difficult to not be avoided.

"By the way, you look amazing with no clothes on." he spoke after finishing the kiss and growing a wide smirk on his face.

Those words made the young Draenei blush heavily with a blue color as she rushed back into the room to try and find something. "Darnit my clothes are still wet."

"Don't worry there's bound to be something around here for you to wear until they dry." he mentioned entering back into the room and putting some trouser pants on.

Alura searched through a few closets to see if she could find something. To her luck she found a tunic shirt that was big, way big. She was a little taken back on why Thark would keep such a thing but never the less she put it on and it was big enough to at least to reach past her knees. Alura looked back to Larkon, already finishing up on wearing his pants. "Well, I guess we can't argue much with these clothes." She said, still a bit uneasy knowing she is still naked downstairs of her body.

"Jorden's wife and I planned to dig a grave for Jorden after I woke up two weeks later. I buried his sword, his trainer sword that he trained me and saved me when I was a kid. It was the only thing that was left on his tent there in the barracks. And she's going to become a church priestess, not like yours where you have some magic, just a priest. And her daughter wants to be a captain like her father. And she wants me to train her…..ehehe a bit funny." Larkon eased up as they trotted downstairs preparing a pan for boiling water.

She took a seat down at one chair, still blushing for not having much to wear and still being naked down there. It reminded her of that event when she was captured. They just gave her a sleeveless gown to wear and nothing else. Immediately her mind was flashed with dreadful memories of that experience as she felt her body shake and tremble. But she put those thoughts away. "I met her awhile back. She's very kind, and her daughter is very beautiful. What would it be like had Jorden survived no? I bet that frown on the lips of the captain would instantly disappear." She said. "But sometimes fate has its downside."

Larkon was silent from those words. He wondered that himself or how different things would have been had Jorden survived in his place. Fate indeed had it's downsides very much because of how circumstances were in reality. They say life is cruel, but personally he believed it was cruel because of certain people. A fist gripped hard as he knew whose true fault it was for Jorden's death. Still taking a breath, he began brewing the coffee needed and within a short moment, exited the back kitchen with two cups of fresh coffee.

"So how do you want your's?"

"Sugar and cream please." she requested.

He smiled at that. By her request he found some sugar and cream behind the counter that Thark usually served drink at, pouring sugar and cream for her cup before walking over to the table to hand her cup.

"If you ask why I know. Thark taught me some." He said as he stirred his.

Alura then remarked. "Time passed by sure enough am I right Larkon? It's been ten….months since we met in that Palace of the High King. Events surely lead up after that that's for sure." The draenei said.

"Yep. Ten months. It seems like a week. But oh well. If I only got a hundred years to live, you got to make things count." He sipped his coffee.

She herself took a sip of coffee, it was sugary sweet, just the way she liked her's.

"So how's your coffee?" he asked.

"It's good, do you not drink your's with sugar and cream?"

"Nah I prefer mine black. Help keep me awake and stuff." he smiled.

She giggled a little from that but felt a little shiver in disgust from the terrible taste of black coffee. Nevertheless she continued to enjoy her cup with him as they relaxed while listening to the rough rain still pouring non stop from outside.

"The dawn is very beautiful isn't it Larkon? And it's beautiful yet somewhat saddening because it reminded me on the rain that poured after you were drafted out." She reminded somewhat sad in her tone. "I remembered that in that day…..I never get to say goodbye to you…."

She saw Larkon grip his cup of coffee once more, a look of small anger appearing on his face as he was shaking in his attempts to try and control it. "That would be Moira's fault, shifted us off before any of us could say goodbye to our families and loved ones..…" He grit his teeth. "We were going to shift off in the noon. But then he woke us up to prepare in early in the dawn and I never got to go to the church because of it because we were immediately shipped out."

Of course. The general would always do that. If he had the malicious mind to attempt rape, then it is clear as day that he won't hesitate this kind of acts or betraying his own people in exchange for luxurious pleasures. "Don't bother with that man no longer Larkon. My father promised me that he will keep him in check that he won't get to hurt an innocent soul ever again."

Larkon laid back at his seat a little, just the thought of the general was enough to make him angry. The things he has done, the threats he had made. Just everything about that man showed he had no soul.

Still for Alura's sake he done as she asked and calmed down. As far as he was concerned Hell was too good for Moira and that he hoped there was a special place in hell waiting for that man one day. Nevertheless he didn't event want to know him he didn't he even want to hear his name or look at him. "Okay, but enough about him, let's talk about something else."

"Are you still going to fire up that Farmer dream of yours?"

Larkon thought for a moment at that. He hadn't put too much thought into it but it was starting to become more and more comfortable with that thought. "Maybe, I haven't put much thought into it but I'm starting to grow a little more towards the idea since it was something my captain wanted for me. I was also thinking of taking up the job as a blacksmith and maybe a bare knuckle boxer as side jobs during the times when harvest isn't good." he smiled.

"Alright, but please would you leave out fighting? I don't want to see you get hurt." She pleaded.

"Whatever goes your way if it makes you happy."

She took another sip of the coffee. She wasn't sure why but last night's activities had really drained her of energy. She found herself practically gulping down her cup of coffee within a minute from how drained she felt.

"Are you okay Alura?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, nothing. It's just that. I just got a nice dream when we slept. It was relaxing as it was beautiful. It felt so surreal." She revealed.

"What was it about?"

She wasn't sure how she would tell him or not. She figured she tell him part of it and not the whole thing. "It was about...you and me...living together…" her face blushed.

He smiled. "It seems it is like now right?" He then looked at the rain before going back to her. "I now know that I won't get to waste my life now that I have you….if this dream is the same as mine like I said to you then let's make it a reality if possible, if we can…."

"You mean, you want to...you and me?" she asked sounding a little surprised to hear his desire to make their dream a desire.

"Of course, I would love nothing more than to have that dream come to a reality with you. It would be all I could ever ask for to be satisfied with my life." he smiled.

"Larkon, you know If we never met….I guess I would have stayed as a virgin priestess inside the church till my days end…"

He chuckled a little finishing his cup of coffee. "Sometimes, fate can be wonderful." he smiled.

Alura smiled also and just leaned in for a kiss. The dawn is kind to them as the sound of pouring rain clouded their noise, once again wrapping their arms around for each other as their bodies wanted to experience the same passion they shared.

* * *

"I must say I'm quite surprised. The Goblin Tinker proved to me be more useful than I thought." the blood elf spoke walking down the long and dark tunnels never explored even past the deadmines.

With him his master Lazarus walked by his side as they made their way down deeper into the deadmines. He spoke not a word in regards to what the warlock was talking regarding Dr. Jiink. Instead he just payed attention to what was infront of him down the almost endless long tunnel deeper and deeper underground. It wasn't much to look at but at least it was far from the view of all that lived above. Far away from where he could gain the power he needed to complete his plan for a new world order.

"And we have arrived…" announced Kreus, snapping the Death Knight's attention back into reality.

Before him where mechanical machines building massive spectral fortress on the other side of a moat.

"Impressive…" commented the Death Knight.

"I take you like the arrangements I've done with the place." they heard the dark Goblin spoke from nowhere. Flying up to him on his mechanical chair.

"The stories of Goblin Achievements of an Epic Tinker with technology have not disappointed my expectations." Lazarus continued.

"I'll take that as a compliment. So shall I give you a tour around such place. I believe you'll find it interestingly close to how you have your personal castle made." Jiink offered. "Well not really a castle but a fortress that has some fundamentals of a castle. With my tinkers I bought eighteen tons of cement which I had to move with one of my bigger tinkers. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. And by then the rest made the blocks." He said walking around the fortress tunnel before turning to his right.

"I made the fortress simple, it is not that big but not small either. I put as little tunnel way as possible to eliminate any confusing mazes around, which a total of six tunnels have been made. Dungeon room, Throne room, Arena, Experimental room, sleeping room for the cultists and lastly the storage room which food is stored and some others."

"And the artifacts. What is the progress of them?" the Deaht Knight spoke straight to the point.

"Well they are quite difficult to find but my machines have been working on setting up the pieces together to restore it to it's original form. A special room has been designed for the purpose of it's original reconstruction. When it is eventually finished it should be a perfect place for you to commence for the ritual."

"Very good doctor. When this is over you shall be rewarded very well for your work."

"I just care about the possible knowledge and secretes this artifact posses. You can keep the power it will grant you for all I desire is the chance to study and tinker with it."

"Have the others made their way here?" Kreus asked.

"The Demon Hunter did arrive shortly sometime ago. His injuries now fully recovered and ready to commence any order you may give. That pain in the ass troll with the smart ass mouth has been useful and has arrived with another ten more artifact pieces, and after this he is leaving as the contract said. And my bodyguard Serid the Tauren is meditating privately with the elements regarding something about the Burning Legion it's best you go speak with him Lord Lazarus." Jiink answered. "And Oh look. Kreus, the blood sample you gave me I want to show you something with Lazarus." The goblin motioned to follow.

The Death Knight and Warlock looked at each other and followed the Goblin to where he lead them inside the fortress. For some time they walked or for Jiink's case hovered down the long dark corridors of their new base of operations. Eventually arriving to what they believed to be the good doctor's personal lab room as it had the most of Goblin technology working around the clock for unknown purposes. On the table was the blood sample of the Draenei Priestess kept preserved with the use of Ice.

The Goblin took a very small magical box with a large opening hole on top of it, while its surface was filled with runic designs, with weird yet beautiful patterns. "Alright, I really love this artifact." The tinker commented as he used a suction to take a small sample of her blood and poured it over to the opening. The opening began to glow blue as an image of the owner of the blood began to show. The image showed that the draenei was helping around the children, smothering her with their small arms. "Look at that beauty. Like the draenei this artifact is something else. I found it where your requested artifact was found also. It has no use for you now Lazarus so I wo-"

"No." The death knight interrupted as he approached the image.

"No? This is not useful to you!" He reasoned out.

Without an answer the Death Knight whipped out a blood sample himself, encased in a very small bottle, he used his blood magic to transfer the blood into the artifact, revealing a naga.

"Um my lord if I may, what is going on and who is the Naga?" Jiink asked.

"A question I am in desire to hear the answer for myself my lord." Kreus asked as well.

Their answers were answered when a man approached the naga. He had a great pang of familiarity, the human was tall, as as a large knight with broad shoulders. In the image the naga transformed her tail into legs, reducing her size greatly, now more than half a head shorter than the human.

"This day…" The Death Knight muttered, softly reaching a metal clawed hand at the image as if strongly desiring to want to touch it to desire it to be real.

The Warlock watched with fascination, so his master like him has a pang of moral consciousness. Love? Huh, who would've thought his master had one when he was in his prime back then.

But then that fascination began to drivel out as his master's feet began to surround itself with ice. "This day." He repeated, the volume of his voice being slowly raised as the image changed from them kissing each other to the man fighting for his life with his fellow knights of the Silver Hand. They watched the image go through as the image showed that one of the knights struck her neck, which she falls down immediately and began gurgling in pain, her mouth being flooded with her own blood.

They watched the their master in the past roared in anger as he struck down his fellow knights before kneeling down to heal his lover. She was healed but the damage was done. She no longer had voice judging from what has been shown. And the naga barred in surprise, her eyes were clouded in fear on the thought of nearing death. She lashed out despite the person in front of her were her lover, using her claws to scratch his face, leaving him with a large mark, before fleeing to the ocean's embrace. They watched the man run for him, pleading, just before the image suddenly waned down before it disappeared.

For a long time the Death Knight remained silent, not saying a word not moving a muscle. Yet the only thing he did was use his blood magic to retrieve the blood sample of the Naga back into the very small bottle. Other then that he was strongly silent.

"So now all comes and makes sense. I must say Lazarus I did not expect a memory of that type to come from you." Jiink spoke sounding interested of what he saw.

"They're nothing more than a reminder than politicians and it's beasts destroy the foundation that is supposed to be set for children. Now it is just a circus where they have to pay in order to see, and most of the time, just starve to see. When I get power, I will make sure to break them." The death knight stated.

Without much more word he turned and handed the different artifact to the Goblin before walking off somewhere. Kreus did not follow for he knew his lord needed sometime to himself.

On word Lazarus walked, the memories of such events of that day repeated over and over in his head like a terrible nightmare. In his vision he could still see it as if it was happening right now again in front of her. Being powerless to protect her from those he once called family. Those that had raised him and gave him purpose long ago betray him and dare call him a traitor to their cause. Watching how one struck the throat of his love, forever taking her voice away from her.

In and out he breath through his helmet. Becoming deeper with each breath as he felt his anger from such memoires played over and over into his mind until not taking it no more. Drawing his sword and turning towards a wall he lashed out in rage and fury. Slashing the wall over and over yelling and roaring in a fit of absolute hatred from that moment that forever ruined him, but mostly ruined and scared his love for life.

But even through his fit of rage he remained himself. Going back to his dormant demeanor. "I'll will destroy you corrupt fools. Your moral high horse is born from pure arrogance. You let the glory to be yours while others die and suffer…...I will break them….I will break them….just not yet...not yet…"

His senses returned to his surroundings when he felt a hand tap to his shoulder. Turning sharply around he saw the tauren Serid behind him, a look of concern on the battle shaman's face.

"What is it?" Lazarus spoke, thought he still sounded calm, traces of his anger were still deeply present in his voice.

The Tauren got on one knee and bowed his head. "Forgive me my lord. I ment not to intrude. I heard the voices of your anger while in meeting the spirits. They grow concern for you as I have as well." he spoke.

"Then let them know I have calmed down. Because we are to plan. Tell the others that we are starting…"

* * *

For the past three weeks Larkon and Alura have kept watch of Thark's inn. Spending their days to keep it cleaned and watched over from any forms of trouble or issues that could happen. Quietly and patiently awaiting for the return of their had already planned on too much, even if they were just two because Kinar had still stay in Goldshire and won't be back in the next week. And with Durel somewhat stuck to his father duties, though he would be attending the party along with his baby, his wife and his maid. And Larkon had invited Clayla Brightsun the wife of Jorden and her daughter. But still it won't be still in the next hour.

Alura kept that smile on her lips as went to the bathroom. She had to prepare herself right now as in a few more hours they would be arriving. Alura watched herself in the mirror as she took off her shirt, leaving her with only her bra. She seemed to be sweating as some pints of wet marks were on her bra's. But she didn't bother as she reached behind her back and unclips it.

And there she noticed a white substance smothered at the tips of her breasts, showing a little bit of a discharge. "Huh. I'm not sure if this is sweat…." Alura commented to it before wiping them off her nipples with her shirt. "Well I'm-" A bile just suddenly lurched in her stomach before feeling it rush up her throat. "My goodness….Larkon!" She screamed as she rushed on to the toilet and began puking out her breakfast from the morning.

It was not light either as it felt very strong on her. Each time she was forced to gag and throw up into the toilet it's force was so powerful it knocked the wind out of her. Causing her to have troubles to breath and try nd catch her breath from each round she was forced to puke.

She heard a loud bang from the door. It was Larkon trying to get into the bathroom yet she had it locked for obvious reasons. Yet the sickness deep in her stomach and effects it had on her body as a whole was too much on her as she felt herself growing so weak that was not able to move to unlock the door as she continued to puke on and on.

Eventually the human was not going to care much anymore as he kicked the door down to rush to her aide.

"Uh Larkon I feel sick...the door." She moaned.

"Alura what happened? Why are you-" He didn't need to finish as she saw her leavings.

"I don't know. It's just probably the food I ate in dinner. Or breakfast….-" She withdraws again and lurched her stomach to puke.

"You're okay, you're okay." He patted her back. Reaching over to a wash cloth he washed it in water to get it nice and cold before softly rubbing it along her head.

She could not understand what was going on. Her stomach felt so sick, her body almost on fire as it sweated without stop, and her breasts cramped and ached as much of her stomach as she took notice more of the white substance leaking from them. Now more than earlier.

"Uhh my stomach and chest hurt. I don't know why. Probably because I stayed here in too much indoors. I'm not used to it."

"Do we need to call of the party and get you to see a healer. I'm sure our friends will understand if you're this badly sick." he spoke with deep concern and worry for her well being as he did what he could to keep her body from overheating by softly cooling it with rubs from a wet rag.

"Ngnhuh, just call mother please if you can Larkon. She knows better than anyone I can think of….I'll just stay here in the room in case I'll-" She withdraws again but none had come out from her mouth.

"Are you going to be okay by yourself?" he asked in deep concern and worry. Helping her sit up and sit down softly to the ground to see what he can do to help.

"I'll be fine." she spoke trying her hardest to regain her breathing as it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to try and catch her breath.

Larkon even wrapped a towel around her to cover her chest and such. "Just take it slow and easy and I will be right back as fast as I can."

She watched leave, as her body slumped against the cold wall. Her body was sweating as she was tired to having puke the rest of what she ate earlier, and it took a toll on her, But nonetheless she tried to stand up with her shaky legs and managed to sit on the toilet seat, wrapping herself with a towel that Larkon gave to her. Resting her head at the wall she waited around when they return.

Alura wondered why she is probably sick. Perhaps it has to be the food that she ate. She wasn't used to heavy spices, and her being the open minded and adventurous yet careful draenei she had to east some, but she wasn't as careful as she thought herself to be because possibly what she ate delivered this.

It was not a long wait as Larkon's voice came up in the distance by the entrance door. "Alura where here!" He called over as she saw them open the entrance door, Larkon now with her own flesh and blood.

The older draenei walked over to her with concern and kneeled down. "Alura what happened to you are you hurt?"

"I don't know I just feel reall-" she felt herself gag hard and was forced to fall to her knees and accidently throw up on the floor. This one feeling painful to her.

Her mother glowed her hands and let her magic fall onto her back, at least soothing her a little bit. "Larkon, would you mind if you let us be alone with my daughter?" The older priestess asked.

"Yes of course." Larkon nodded and lowered down to softly touch his forehead to his draenei lover. "I'll be upstairs if you need me." he spoke before walking up upstairs. With the door knob damaged for him kicking it off open, they can't lock it up.

The maternal figure puts her attention back to her daughter. "Alright Alura, let me check you up." She motioned as she help her stand up.

Alura nodded, sitting up as she did and lets her towel fall off of her. Allowing her mother also take notice of the white substance leaking from her daughter's breasts. Alura's chest heaving up and down roughly as her body ached and her breathing was struggling to comply for her.

"Alura, I...you were no longer a virgin right...since three weeks?"

The younger draenei's eyes widen in alarm and fear as she heard her mother discovering the truth of her activities. True she chose to want to be with Larkon yet still it was still custom for marriage to be done before consummating their relationship to make it official. "Mother, please don't tell father I…" she puked hard once more. Now she was feeling a deep burning pain between her legs.

"Alura, calm down. I need to inspect you. Remove the rest of your clothes for me and I will see what is causing you such suffering." Averia asked softly. "And Alura, we're your parents, we know that in any time you'll consummate your relationship. You're our daughter, so you don't need to fear anything."

She looked to the older Draenei at first with concern. With a soft nod, she took her skirt off along with her panties. Allowing her mother to go in and see what is causing her such illness.

For the older draenei there's nothing wrong with her daughter's anatomy. She was as healthy like a spring flower. "There's nothing wrong to your body Alura." She hypothesized before starting to actually had to touch the firm of her waist. "What were your symptoms Alura? It was vomiting only right?"

"Vomiting, my stomach cramps painfully, my breasts ache and are leaking for reason unknown to me. My body feels hot and my neither regions are burning with a painful stinging sensation…" she moaned as she sat down and closed between her legs as it painful burned in between them.

"Leaking? In your breasts?" She suddenly stood up to her full height, being as tall as her daughter's human lover. "Here in your breast right?" She inspected, putting her hand on the base of her chest.

"Yes! And my stomach, my stomach hurts and cramps the worse with no end. Perhaps-"

"One more question Alura. I know it's personal but...when you did it did he released inside of you?"

Alura's eyes widen just a little. "Yes…"

"Morning sickness…" Averia hypothesized. "Alura three weeks ago it was our height of ovulation, you know all female draenei's were susceptible to pregnancy in that span of one week every month before becoming safe from it in the rest. If what you said did happen that didn't commit safe sex then…"

Her eyes were now widen in absolute fear as her body forced her to say the response she did not want to ask. "Do you mean…?"

Her mother nodded. "Yes Alura, all of it were on mark. Your symptoms, there's no other answer. You are with child my daughter."

Alura shooked her head. "Oh my-oh my."

"Alura please don't…"

Alura's body was now in shock from such news. Her body was shaken her heart was racing at dangerously levels. Her blood pressure felt like that they would explode from her veins at any moment. The pains in her stomach increased to unbearable levels as her vision went foggy and she struggled to breath.

"Alura don't be stressed out! It's dangerous if you are having this condition!"

"But I didn't expect this yet! Oh nononono. Ughth! How am I-yes I want to have a very motherly life in the future but-not now!"

The older draenei kneeled to the soon to be mother. "Alura just relax okay? Calm down. I know that you thought it wasn't one of the days. I know that you are not a reckless woman. But you have to bear it. You're going to be a mother, and me a grandmother."

"But, but,but…" her body was now getting worse the more it worried her to no end. It was at the point of she was unable to control herself as it was now consuming her painfully slow.

"Alura please you have to calm down my daughter." Averia spoke concerned in fear as she could feel her daughter's vitals becoming dangerously high. She puts a hand on her daughter's stomach and her back she calms her down. "Calm down okay Calm down, are you calm now?" She said as she pats her back.

With slow heaving breaths Alura nodded. "Okay mother I'm calm, I'm calm…."

"Alright now. I know you're not expecting this Alura, don't panic okay? Just be calm of the situation. You are going to be a mother, I know you didn't planned it and I know you are not a reckless girl. So whatever relationship that you had that led to this I do not hold any anger or resentment or negative thoughts." Averia soothed.

"Okay mother, but, but-I'm not ready yet to be a mother….I never got to even think about it till now."

The older draenei softly combs her daughter's white hair in an effort to calm her even more. "I know, but now you are going to be in the future. Me and your father know about your relationship with the human ever since you told us all those weeks ago, so we know you two consummated, but we-I'm just surprised, but I'm not in anyway angry Alura."

"But what about father, will he be angry at me?" she shivered in fear and was shaking as she felt her body grown cold.

"No, never in his lifetime. He will never be angry at you, he'll be just surprised, but he'll will not hold such towards you or the father of this child. I'm sure in the future once the child inside you would meet him he will be thrilled at the thought of being a grandparent. Don't panic alright Alura? Your friends are here for you, your family and your lover, you are surrounded with love, so this surprising event of your life will not affect that." Averia said before helping her up. "I'm going to discuss this with your father alright-"

"No! Don't tell anyone please mother, just keep it between you and me." She pleaded.

"But Alura…" Averia tried reasoning.

"Please just not now please, please…" she begged desperately.

"Very well. I will discuss it with your father and other when you feel you are ready. Now let me help you back into your clothes. Your body is in serious stress from your attack and requires much rest now." she spoke as she gently helped her daughter back into some softer clothes to help calm the nerves within the younger draenei.

"Larkon, young man would you please help me with Alura lift her back up for her to rest." Averia called.

The two heard the young human rush fast almost jumping down from step to step to rush in as fast as he could. "Is she okay is she alright what's wrong with her Averia?" he asked almost sounding in deep panic and worry himself for Alura's health.

"It's nothing, it's just food poisoning. She probably ate too much spices. We draenei don't react very well when it comes to spicy food." She lied, almost so perfectly that you just can't find any traces of doubt which it comes to a surprise for such a reputable person like her.

As such, he believed every word from word from the sentences from her. Entering, he gently as he could picked the younger draenei up. Carrying her in bridal style as he was making his way up the stairs. The older draenei followed short.

As this occurred Alura was still deep in thought while her body still ached and hurt so terribly much. Her body was trying to calm itself yet she still had some strong issues trying to keep control of her vitals. Thankfully once bringing her into the room she and Larkon had been sharing for sometime. He softly laid her down, and covered her with the soft blanket. Putting her body at ease to feel something comfortable and soft at least.

"Ayeeee Oi Lad! Alura las! We be back!" A call from the entrance suddenly chimed in.

A look of fear came across Alura's face. "Oh...no-" she spoke before her stomach interrupted her with forcing her to gag and puke. If it had not been for Larkon bringing a bucket to her aide in the right moment. Her body would've forced her to puke onto the floor.

"Just take it easy please I'll go greet them." Larkon offered.

"What tha! What in King Magni's beard happen to me door?!" they heard the dwarf shout at the top of his lungs.

"I'll be right back." he told her before rushing downstairs to see Thark, Flyrae, Quon, and Finan downstairs with the old Dwarf inspecting the broken door that lead to the bathroom.

"Sorry about that Thark. Alura was in the bathroom she locked herself up, then food poisoning kicked in…." Larkon confessed, weary about what his reaction would be now that he probably was the reason why she was having food poisoning.

"Aye! Damn it! I fergot to tell you that she be dangerous to eat spices! Where is she now lad? Is she alright? You gave her those stuff right lad?"

"Yes, yes I didn't know but she's alright. She is tended by her mother."

"Hu, her holiness Anchorite Aveira is here hu?" the gnome archmage asked taking a seat at one of the tables alongside the Pandaren.

"Yeah…" Larkon answered.

"Aye let me get up here and see Alura for me self." Thark requested already making his way upstairs.

Larkon followed up suite as Thark made way to Alura who was now sitting down on the edge of the bed, feeling well enough on her own after a few sips of herbs that her well prepared maternal figure brought.

"Uhh Thark you're back." Alura quipped. "Where's Fylrae? And Finan I thought were-"

"They be downstairs lass, aye I see some of the food you two cooked in fer us. Like the celebration you promised when we arrived eh? But enough fer that now, are you alright lass?" The dwarf asked in concern.

When she tried answering she felt her body ache once more. The potion she drank helped with the stomach sickness but her body was still feeling aches and sore from all over. Especially from her stomach which hurt the worse.

"Lass take it easy now and don't force ye self." he told her as he helped her back under the covers of the bed to try and relax and not push herself too hard.

"I guess I'm okay. It's my fault Thark. I knew spices were bad for me but I still requested them from Larkon…."

"Aye, don't worry lass he ain't gonna get smacked from me." the dwarf smiled.

"But Thark, um...I want to tell you that…." She looked over to Larkon before going back to the dwarf. "I hope you don't mind that Larkon and I are….together now…"

The dwarf's eyes shot open wide in surprise. Well not so much surprise or so, more like shocked. He looked at Larkon and just gave a grin. He knew well enough now that their relationship would just be official sooner or later. "Aye Well look at you flimmin yapping little man." Thark suddenly jumped on his head and locked him in a headlock burying his knuckles on his head, but then he lets go moments later. "Aye you have my consent lad. Ye savin her life is more than enough especially yer the first male friend this lassy let in ma inn without havin to blow yer baby makein' balls off."

They heard a throat clear from Averia to let her presence be known in the room. Also letting them know silently not to be speaking such language in front of women. Especially one such as her title as her holiness Anchorite of the Exodar.

"Aye ye holiness Anchorite Averia. Welcome to me Inn it be an honor to have someone of ye reputation inside this old fart dwarf's Inn…" Thark greeted the older Draenei. "And fergive me bad mouth yer holiness. Aye me humble dwarf is hard to stop me mouth from."

"Forgiven. I just want to know if…...well I want you along with Larkon to monitor Alura for a bit on my behalf. It is really important, I may tell it in later in the following months, but right now it is not yet time."

"Aye as ye wish ye Holiness. Ye daughter be like me own to me. And ye not worry this ante be the first time Alura had accidently gotten food poisoning from the spices I have around here. So ye not worry for ye own flesh and blood I be keeping me one and only good eye on her for ya." Thark answered as he shook the older Draenei's hand.

The older draenei nodded before leaning to Alura closely to her ear. "Alura, I'll study about your condition in the church alright? I'll help you in anyway I can to make sure when the time comes it is completely healthy. Don't be afraid alright?" She whispered before kissing her cheek as her whisper didn't echoe to anyone's ears.

"Of course mother. Thank you." her daughter spoke, giving her a gentle hug before letting her go to walk out of the room to return to the Church to begin what she had just promised.

"Alye. I guess we be joinin fet a bit of lunch? Aye Alura ye can only eat fruits onleh. Ye got to eat some pure food fer the rest of the day because of yer condition." Thark said,

Alura really hoped that they would not notice her real condition in the following months. She watched both her mother and Thark exited the room yet Larkon stayed with her. Pulling up a seat next to her bed and holding her hand gently to his.


	43. Here we go once again

"Alright alright one at a time, one at a time!" Finan shouted. "Aye damn it. This isn't supposed to be yours guys, I got this from Ironforge because my ex-wife owed me so much dough! Uhh, I'm just glad she's not thinking of remarrying or else the rest of my stuff is doomed. And at least we won't get to have so much obstacles when we decide to get back together." He said as he handed one to Fylrae, a small music box. "Alright a music box for you Fylrae, the cats when your feline is going to give birth would love it."

He then took out a small tube like device, just six inches long. "And here thark, this is my invention, though nobody thought it is useful. You would love this. This is an electronic cigarette, it would reduce tobacco intake in your lungs, and just needs powdered herbs to run for it, so you can use healthy herbs to actually make your lungs healthier instead of killing yourself!" He sarcastically presented it to him. "And don't worry about batteries and stuff, it doesn't need one, it isn't actually electronic, just a fancy name for it."

"Aye amazing what ye Gnomes can make these days." Thark chuckled accepting the gift and taking a seat at a table.

"Yeah sure. Honestly I'm amazed myself at some of the stuff we've made over the years." Finan sighed looking through his bag of stuff once more.

In the meantime. Alura was at least well enough to get dressed in something both nice yet comfortable on her. Still she felt deeply nervous of both her condition and the possibility that anyone in the party would find out. She was relieved at least to see that everyone still thought it was food poisoning for the spices and such. As long as she kept her head on her shoulders, kept calm and cool, she believed it was highly possible she could get through this.

"So Durel, gonna train that new boy of yours on how to be a guard like ya?" She overheard Larkon ask his friend who was sitting at a table with him.

"Well Cassandra doesn't want me too but my brother in law insists that I do. Heck he wants to train him personally when Roland grows of age."

"We'll were too. Jorden's kid asked me if I would be the one to train her. Her mom is thrilled for that to happen because she wants me to do it so that what I learned from him would be passed down to her because she wants to be a captain like him. But right now she is less than a small fry." Larkon replied.

That got his fellow friend chuckling at that.

"Psst Alura look. Finan got me a glowing stick for my baby. He said that he used his magic to create an energy inside the stick that it won't puff off anytime soon." Cassandra chimed in closer to her, while in her arms was the baby Roland laughing and playing on the stick, while heavily wrapped in her arms.

Alura smiled as she watched the infant play in his mother's arms. "How's it been having the baby around?"

"Oh just a bit of a hassle. Sometimes you have to wake up early in dawn to make the baby calm. It's difficult, but when you see it's smile and giggles it makes it worthwhile." She replied.

Alura giggled at the sound of that. Her attention went to the child when she felt his tiny hand reach out and grab one of her fingers playing with it gently. "He's so cute. I bet he will be so handsome when grows of age…" Alura commented twirling her fingers around.

"And how about you Alura?"

"Oh me?"

"You know, babies. I've heard that you and Larkon are official. It won't be long now before gossip about such topics you know?" The blonde woman giggled.

"Oh um well we just became official and we're now just trying to make plans on how we can support ourselves as a young couple. So it will be a while before we talk on that." she smiled a little. Though already it is progressing to have such life, as a mother because it is now growing inside of her.

"And here for the young and recent couple. Alura I got you a device that crushes coffee beans and automatically makes it a powder so that it is easy to make coffee. Trust me you two you're both gonna need it." He said, before frowning towards the panda, he still was annoyed at him. "Alright Quon, I got you a brewer, you might like this."

Quon in the meantime was still busy writing in his little story pad to even notice the Gnome mentioning or calling his name out. "Quon." the Gnome called out but the Pandaren kept on writing. "Quon!"

That seemed to snap the Monk out of his trance to see the Archmage Gnome holding the brewer. "Got you a brewer."

"Don't tell us, ye be writing in that fancy book of ye's?"

"Indeed, without doubt the human and Draenei's story is by far the most exciting I have witness first hand yet." Quon smirked continuing to write. "Somewhat similar no?" He then walked towards the gnome and accepted his gift.

"Alright, I guess that's for today. I might have more tomorrow in the noon. Perhaps I could come in here-" A knock was heard.

"It's us." Averia answered behind the door.

Thark being closest to the door sat up and walked over to open the door. Allowing both Vindicator Joven and Anchorite Aveira enter.

"Aye welcome to the Bonebeard Inn. Honor to have ye Vindicator and Anchorite." Thark greeted with a bow.

Alura stood up with eyes wide. "Mother-Father! You didn't inform us that you two are coming in…." She exclaimed, somewhat nervous now that both of them are now here especially one of them knowing about her delicate "condition" that leads to new life for her.

"Your father wanted to make it a surprise." her mother exclaimed as her father smiled nervously while scratching the back of his head.

"Surprise." he chuckled a little nervously. "And hey Alura, where's the young man that made you so happy? I want to meet him and greet him." His fathered smiled.

"Oh...uhm." She looked at Larkon who was already knowing the retrospect of them being here, but he seemed to be confident as he met up with the father of Alura, shaking his hand happily.

"Happy to meet you again Sir Joven. It's a wonder that more than ten months ago that I was just a palace guard while you broke bread with the king, but now I could finally broke bread with you." Larkon greeted with surprising confidence, his tone as respectful like a gentleman would to a parent of their courted lady.

"Likewise youngman." Joven smiled as he took a seat along with Larkon at the same table Larkon was sitting with Durel at.

"Vindicator Joven sir." Durel who was still a Guard stood up and saluted the Paladin. Like almost every guard he knew of Joven's status both in the city and his reputation during the siege of the Icecrown. "I'm glad to meet you. I'm disheartened though at the thought when Larkon is guarding the palace, I'm having to guard the sewers with my life." He joked also with great confidence, almost to a surprise among their friends.

Averia noticed Cassandra, cradling and holding her infant. "Ohhh….how cute. Bless the light, such life is so small yet so beautiful." She approached her.

"Thank you your holiness. He's I think maybe four maybe five weeks old, and his name is Roland. I named him after my late father." She said.

"Oh how handsome he is. Would you mind if I could put a blessing of prayer for him? I want to bless such children for protection and for their future." The wise draenei said.

With a nod of approval from the mother, Averia glowed the tip of her index finger and slight touched his forehead before letting the light dissipate. "There. I would make sure that he's as blessed as he should be." She chuckled.

Cassandra smiled deeply holding her infant close with tears almost pouring from her eyes to have her child blessed by the Light. "Thank you your holiness. I never thought my child would get blessed by such a renowned person like you."

"Oh stop with the holiness dear. I'm just like you in every way possible. The only thing the differ us is our height." She chuckled.

"Oi come on, me food would be cold if we wait aneh longer!" Thark called them out.

* * *

Outside the gate of the great human city. The guards stood guard at their stations. Though they tried their best to ignore the cold rain that poured all over them.

Some of them shivered a little to the bone from the wetness on their armor and the cold air making it worse on them. Yet their focus on the weather snapped back to reality when they saw a hooded cloaked figure whose appearance was hidden from head to toe thanks to the dark torn cloak. The atmosphere went from being icy cold to being as cold as the ice of Northrend.

"Purpose and your location." The guard called the hooded figure.

The death knight slowly takes out a makeshift scroll. "A Message from the Ebon Blades, let me pass as a request from a Death Knight….." His words echoed so eerily.

"Umm yes...yes just pass…" The guard made way and let the hooded figure pass. His temperature just dropped when the death knight passed by before returning back to normal. "Eeh, creepy Death Knights, why they are still from the Alliance?" The guard commented to his other companions who felt the same way.

"Hell if I know but best not to question or piss them off in fear of their wrath. But I got to admit that one has to be the creepiest yet. I'm not sure if the Lich king was ever that...scary…" the other guard told.

Lazarus just ignored them as he stayed focus at the task at hand. Still he stopped for a moment to take in his surroundings. This was the first time he had ever stepped back into the city that was once his home. The last time he was here he was still human and had just left for Northrend for unfinished business that lead to his betrayal and death.

His thoughts were interrupted as he continued onward down the city. Making his way to one of the few possible places the priestess could be, a place he had not been for a very long time.

A place of hypocrites and a place of pretenders that deceived women and children into a false sense of hope, a hope that there would always be a knight in shining armor to save them and deceived them that these knight in shining armor are them. He once pretended that he was that, but no longer, not after he had seen first hand their hypocrisy, their false sense of wisdom that brought carnage too many times. They left the people out defenseless against walking corpses that hungered for flesh, they left children out pleading for them to take them also to flee to the higher mountains. Away from the walking corpses, but no, they left them out because they thought their wisdom and their values or power were much more valuable than the lives of innocent children whose hearts hadn't been tainted yet by the corruption of society.

Still he was no hypocrite, there was a time that the Church still had values under the leadership of Anduin Lothar. He remembered a time when they took him in when he had no family, no one to care or look after him. Yet that was a long time ago and this is now. All of these thoughts were interrupted when he found himself arriving close to the Church itself. Strange not much had changed since the last time he was here. Memories of old both good and bad raced into his mind as he found himself staring at the building. The heavy ice cold rain pouring aimlessly all around. Somewhat exactly how it was many years ago when he was brought to this Church for shelter and for a home.

"Who are you to offer such? I am no whore for you to have a price tag, nor am I ignorant that the reason of his death is because of you General! Touch me not, or else I will inform the church." The Death Knight heard the soft voice threaten.

Turning his attention over to the courtyard. He saw an example of what he sought to destroy. There he saw a youngman, a general perhaps, forcing himself onto a poor high elven woman. Getting too close for comfort and leading her into a wall of the Church. His men closeby did nothing but watch as he harassed the poor woman.

"You are not yet a member of the Church elf. So they can do nothing for you just yet."

The elf struggled. "Damn it what do you want?! I have a child, are you brutes willing to destroy a person's life and leave my child as an orphan for a minutes of pleasure?! Leave me be and think about your consciousness! Have you not have any morals?!"

A child...the death knight heard, an orphan that would be if the mother would be dealt with by these men.

"Please children become orphans everyday because of the issues of the world. The world won't weep for her for her becoming one for she won't be any different than the others despite what a bastard she is from two different races. And besides, she doesn't have to be an orphan dear lady if you just allow me to…." Moira's words were cut short when the elven widow slapped him hard into the face. Hard and close to where his still broken nose was still bandaged and scared from a former gladiator from breaking it.

"Agh! Fuck!" He touched his nose, now realizing that it is slightly bleeding. "You fucking elven ass bitch! SO that's how it is ey? You stupid whore! I'm going to really make sure your fucking bitch of a daughter is going to be in an fucking orphanage and when she grows up or not I'm going after her also!" He growled as he gripped her arm tightly, starting to drag her out along with his men away.

Yet before she could scream and he along with his men could get far they all felt a sudden deep freezing chill in the air. So much that it flashed horrid memories into the young general's mind. Nightmarish memories of his campaign in Northrend when the Alliance and Horde fought against the Lich King.

Turning around he came face to face with a Death Knight that was much, much more worse then his nightmares. One that was of such a terrifying that it put the Lich King to shame. One that also proved to be terrifyingly powerful for with just a gentle flick of his wrist he used his dark powers to magically throw Moira's five guards aside to the floor as if they were nothing but rag dolls made of air to him.

Of everything the general hated in this world. It was Death Knights he hated the most for he feared them more then anything that could happen. He feared them more then the Demons of the Burning Legion. He feared them more then even Deathwing and the other horrors of the world. There was nothing in this world that would horrify him more than the dark powerful presence of the former champions of the Lich King himself.

The Death Knight removed his hood to remove his full face mask helmet to reveal his grotesque rotting yet frozen image of a twisted dark and terrifying looking undead creature with jaws that lacks any lips and possessed a larger set of sharper, more jagged, more vicious-looking fanged teeth. Then there were those eyes, those frozen eyes that shined with a blue glowing aura of death and terror.

He cracked and cackled as his jawline dislocated from the head as he opened his mouth wide, opening the dark space inside….then he roared, loud yet eerie in the most horrifying way. Even the High Elf opened her eyes wide in fear as she saw the horrifying image.

The General screamed in absolute horror and terror just as the death knight raised its arm and slapped him across with the back of his hand. The Death Knight's strength was inhuman, enough power to surpass even the strongest of orcs if not the strongest of taurens. His one slapped sent the young general flying through a set of wooden boxes and hard into the concrete stone floor. His mere slap from his razor sharp frozen taloned claws left a permanent set of deep gashes into the general's face. To further scar him permanently.

The Death Knight turned at the elf who was imprinted with wide eyes that clearly hovered with fear. Her rear against the road as her arms supporter her body as she watched the Death Knight. "Please, spare my life, don't turn my daughter into orphan, please." She pleaded.

He stared at her for a moment. Yet in that time it felt like she was staring into the face of death itself. She had never seen such a being of true terror, no demon or monster in this world could not come close. When she saw the undead move his hand she closed her eyes and braced herself for the worse. Yet it never came, carefully she opened her blue glowing eyes to see the Death Knight offer his hand to help her. Even his armor looked as if it was the stuff of nightmares, especially his gauntlets that were bladed and shaped much like a skeletal dragon's talons. Hesitantly she accepted the clawed hand. It felt frozen to her soft skin yet it was only a brief moment as he helped her up to her feet.

"Return to your child, youngone…." The death knight echoed as the high elf hurriedly ran towards the church.

He watched the High Elf rush into the church with haste. Who wouldn't blame her, she probably couldn't tell what was the more horrifying experience. The threat the human general made or the sight of the undead death knight. Nevertheless he puts his helmet back on and concealed it beneath his hood as he continued to make his way to where he was needed.

Making his way behind the Cathedral of Light he arrived at a place he knew would be a little private enough to meet his allies, The Stormwind Lake to be precise. As if perfectly on que he saw the portal of the Warlock's doing, bringing the Rogue, Demon Hunter, and Battle Shaman along with him.

"Yo mon it be cold as fuck out here!" the troll complained. Sniffing and sneezing as he shivered in the night's cold rain pouring all over him as the rest of the Death Knight's allies.

"So my lord what plan do you have to get in? The city is crawling with guards from races of the Alliance and a good majority of us is Horde. Well somewhat. But still the issue remains." the Warlock mentioned.

Lazarus paid no attention to them as his plan was thought out deep within his head. "Have the Troll within the shadows of the Dwarven District. And I want you to deliver the troublesome boy a message. Tell him where we are, and threaten him that the girl would die if he brought his fiends along with him."

The Warlock smiled, glowing his eyes to know where Larkon is. The last traces of his demonic magic still trailed on his arm. Where his magic goes, he follows with relative ease. Glowing his hands this time he channeled his magic and opened a small portal for him to disappear on the other side, clearly making his way towards his task.

The death knight reached down his pocket, lifting a small pouch, a very tiny one and opens it up and drops what it bears to his hand. There it revealed to be the last pints of Alura's hair where he turned it into ash. "Aaah." His eyes glowed bright, revealing to where the draenei is. It was an old makeshift arena, where she was along as she stared down at a grave.

"There you are…." He whispered before turning towards the Tauren battle Shaman and the Night Elf Demon Hunter.

"You two will be accompanying me." he ordered before placing his hood over his helmet to start making his towards the grave the Draenei was at.

* * *

"This is it right? Where you buried him?" Alura asked.

Larkon nodded, looking down at the makeshift grave where the treasure of his captain's memories lie. The grave was something so simple yet so powerful to him, almost to an impossible degree at that. It's not because he is just a captain but he was also a good man, a good man with fellow example. He loved his peers, he loved his man, he loved his wife, and he would have loved his child had he been alive. He is just something that he took inspiration of. Too good of a man to not notice. It is no wonder even a beautiful high elf would fall in love with him because the man inspired too many people.

"Yep. This is it, this is my captain's grave. I still remembered too many times when we trained. One simple failure and he would smack me, as punishment because he said that failure is an option here in the city but not when you are in the battle field." He said. "Heh, I remembered he teased me to death whenever you came to visit the barracks all those months ago Alura."

She chuckled but only a little. "Yes I remember." she spoke, their breaths were visible underneath the cold rain as it continued to poor. She lifted her hand to his hold it, comforting it, litting him know she was there for him and will always be there for him.

He accepted such a soft gentle angelic soft hand with passion and gratefulness. His captain would've been proud to see him now. How with his hand helped he helped a poor Orphaned boy struggling in the streets take back his life and finally be rewarded with all his harsh and hard work from the most harshest of conditions.

"Larkon…" she began.

"Yes?"

"There is...something I need to tell you." she spoke.

"What is it?" he asked, turning his direction to face her. Again her beautiful luminescent blue glowing eyes gave him a soft and warm feeling deep in his core as if they were gazing into his soul.

"Larkon…" she hesitated.

"What's wrong?" already sensing turmoil within her.

"Larkon...I…" she tried yet just when she was about to speak she and her lover heard words of a figure they hoped and pray to never hear from again.

"Ahh, as fantasy as it is I must say the image of a damsel with her knight is quite the sight of beauty." Kreus spoke, a smirk ever present on his face as he stepped out of the shadows.

Larkon immediately stepped in between Alura and him, ever knowing the familiar aura of the Blood Elf. But too when it is naught as he was armed only with his hands. "How the hell did you find us?" Larkon asked, stepping back slowly along with her.

Kreus shrugged sarcastically. "Don't know, I don't like to answer. I still want to have some 'rematch' with you. Instead of you tracking me down, I tracked you down along with the damsel in distress…" He smirked.

"Alura, run off, warn the others." Larkon whispered.

"But Larkon!" she hesitantly spoke, not wanting to leave him.

"Now Alura!" he demanded with a shout.

The sound of his voice had frighten her but she knew he wanted to keep her safe. Taking his advice she rushed off and ran as fast as her hooves could carry her.

The Warlock watched her run away, raising an eyebrow and smirking somewhat pervertedly. "I must say her rear end is quite plump. I mean the way it bounces with each step she takes. It's no wonder people desire to be around her just to watch her walk." he joked.

Larkon seemed to be calm as he stood straight up. "What do you want? Rematch? Her? I never got to see that look on your face as I beat your ass last time."

"Ah yes last time. Last time you got very lucky and I confess I underestimated you. Did not imagine you received training to fight against those taught in the ways of magic. I'm still surprised you were able to catch a rock burning with felfire with your own hand. Tell me how is that hand right now? From what I can tell from the bandages you have wrapped from fingers to forearm. I imagine permanent scarring perhaps?"

"Doesn't matter. You get to win here, fighting me 'unarmed' so what's the matter? What's the matter is that you can't accept losing to me. I get to win in an even playing field, every time."

The Blood elf chuckled. "You are really letting your pride blow off like a bomb when your damsel is in distress…."

His eyes widen in fear at a sudden realization. "What have you done?"

"Come now Larkon is it, your a clever brute you should have figured and place the words in order. Did you honestly think he would've allowed your victory against me to stand between him and your damsel. Not when so much is at stake regarding her."

"What are you talking about?"

The Warlock's smirk grew even more as did the glowing of his emerald green eyes. "As I warned you sometime ago. He...would have come for her. And now...you've practically given her to him."

Those words were more than enough to send him into a furry of powerful rage. "Where's Alura?! What have you done with her?!" he yelled in a deep serious rage as he marched close to the Warlock who stood his ground.

"Be calm and I will tell you."

"Enough of your bullshit tell me what you've done with her!" he demanded reaching out to grab the Blood Elf by the collar of his robes.

Kreus only laughed and swatted the hand aside.

* * *

Alura hesitated when he ordered her to run. She doesn't want to run and let them have the blunt of their force. She doesn't want that, she wants to turn again and helped Larkon out. It deemed herself weak if she just let her friends to all the things if the going gets tough for them. But she had to, that's what he asked, and that's what she has to do, not just for herself and for him but now for her or him inside of her. She now has an obligation protect the life inside her.

She ran straight through the abandoned barracks. Too many places to hide, but she feel them closing in. Her eyes were wide in fear, her hands began to glow with her powers as she gets inside deeper in the barracks.

A wild metal clang echoed.

Alura screamed and randomly scorched whatever that surrounded her. Her eyes glowed as her body heavily draw breath. To strike whatever it is that followed her. It had been long since she last used her power to fend someone off. The last time she used it a life had been taken away because she defended herself from them, but now she had to use it once more or else lives would be taken, not just hers but her own child inside. Whoever these fiends are.

The entire atmosphere changed….

She could see her breaths as the surrounding temperature began to be colder and colder. Her hands glowed as the holy light of fire rage in her hands in an effort to warm her, but even that seemed to weak as it puffed out. Her eyes lost the it's powerful yellow glow replaced with her blue eyes widened in fear. Her mouth opened as she released a scream and ran to whatever place she could hide as wild clanging steps began to close in.

Exiting the barracks and back outside on the streets of the city, she ran and ran as fast as she could. She didn't exactly know where she was running yet her mind was in desperation to get away from the sounds of metal steps approaching her almost as if all around her. She kept running and running, her lungs shortly running low with breath as her body felt the effects of her weakened state slowly crept in. Forcing her to stop to the location she was at.

It amazed her that she found herself in the Lion's Rest, the place of contemplation and remembrance, a tranquil park dedicated in honor of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on their behalf. Which meant she had ran all the way to the other side of the city far away from where Larkon and the Blood Elf were facing off.

"Please whatever you are leave me be!" She screamed but none would hear her. It is late at night, the townsfolk are already asleep and indoors from the rain. None would guard at this place in these type of nights.

The grass beneath her feet began to freeze till it hardened against her hooves. Her eyes kept the tears away from bursting as she wanted to stay strong, stay strong against the fear before her. "Stay strong Alura, your friends are strong, and so are you…" Alura began to chant, her eyes were to a close.

Metal steps were heard once more, her eyes shot open, high on alert. Looking around and summoning her holy magic once more. Yet nothing was there, no where the source of those metal claps revealed itself. The atmosphere becoming more frozen by the minute as she felt she was suddenly in Northerend. Then at the moment she let her guard down, the figure approached. Stepping out of the shadows to reveal himself at last to her, his rune sword drawn and ready.

She screamed in horror of such a dark and terrifying figure. Quickly she casted holy fire magic at the figure yet with each spell she casted the figure would almost effortlessly swat the spell aside with his sword.

She tried moving away from the dark figure, her body quivering and losing strength fast as her body was slowly loosing balance and control of itself. Her body's vitals again growing to dangerous levels as the fear from this figure crept closer and closer to her. Until finally before she could move, with a sudden movement of his clawed hand her body froze. Magically kept in place from moving to run away from his dark grip.

Again she chanted to herself. Telling her to be strong as her friends. Her chant kept her firm, yet it would not last as the chill suddenly burst in front of her. It froze her body, she could feel its cold breath against her sensitive skin, as her body was hung, her eyes were to a close as she tried to keep herself on to that chant, but it would not last. It would not as the figure was too close, too close. Forcing her to open her eyes as she looked into the glowing blue eyes of the Death Knight.

"The Draenei I've heard so much about." The death knight said to her, bearing his frozen metal clawed hand onto her cheeks softly. "So beautiful, so pure…."

"I'm not, whatever purity that you want from me is gone now. I have nothing for you beasts to offer other a child inside my womb whom I will protect with my life against you brutes." barked Alura back, seemingly not afraid in the surface, but all too well knows the fear deep inside.

The Death Knight was a little surprised to hear this news. It was something he didn't expect to hear from her, so to make sure he checked. With his metal dragon like talons he tore an opening to her belly. She yelped from the sudden attack but almost screamed when she felt the frozen cold razor sharp metal rub onto her belly.

"You are….." The death knight echoed in wonder. "Yet my power is so aroused against you. All too pure, not because of chastity, no, you're too pure too be corrupted, your heart too pure to be replaced."

Alura struggled. "Why? Are you too heartless to even use me of your experiments even with my condition? Whatever you need I'll give, but please leave my child out of this!" She pleaded.

Lazarus payed no attention to her pleading as he felt around her stomach that contained life in it. Lowering his head to her he sniffed her scent, taking it in deep. "Bring her along." he simply order.

She felt a dark shadow cast over her as she turned. Behind her was the Night Elf demon hunter that had kidnapped her before standing behind her. With his a battle hardened Tauren with a mixture of warrior clothes with Shamanistic runes. In a swift movement he felt a hand pressed into her neck. Targeting a pressure point that slowly put her into a deep sleep.

"Hold it right there!' a huge giant of a captain approached With him four armed guards, one of them the captain's brother in law Durel.

The Death Knight did not care to pay them much attention to even turn to look at them. Instead he simply spoke. "Deal with them."

Daken applied but was stopped by the Tauren the moment he took a step. "Allow me." the Battle Shaman offered.

To the big captain and Durel, fighting a Tauren was nothing new to them but the way this tauren appeared seemed different than the others. Serid with a calm composure gently raised his hands, chanting for the strength of the Earth to give him strength. The Spirits acknowledged, summoning from the ground beneath him to cover his hands in stone. To which case the Battle Shaman sprinted to the group of guards with the ferocity of a warrior in rage and punched one guard with powerful force from the earth to send him flying from sight. When another guard stroke the tauren used his stone encased fists to catch the sword before breaking it with just a flick of his wrist. Following up with a powerful kick to break another guard's ribs. The Tauren then released the stones from his hands to throw at a close by guard. Hitting the guard close to the nose before he felt the Tauren grab him by the head and summon a formation of earth for the battle Shaman to bash the guard's face through.

The captain had faced many warriors in the past. He had faced many shamans as well. Yet in those battle he had never seen a Shaman use the powers of the elements in such of the veracity of a warrior. His mind snapped back into reality when his brother in law charged for a sneak attack. It failed as Serid ducked under the slash. Before throwing a punch powered by the electricity of a lightning bolt at Durel's stomach. The sound of powerful thunder rang as the attack broke the captain's brother in law's ribs from the strength of a tauren at the peak of his prime as well shocking Durel with the electrical power of a bolt of lightning. The combine force sent the poor young guard flying through the ground, out cold for the count.

Enraged, The captain took his chance. With his sword ready he dashed towards the Tauren. Skipping from side to side in an effort to confuse the Battle Shaman's thoughts of where he could strike. Yet Serid remained calm and ready. The large human tackled the Tauren, his strength being able to force the Tauren of peak condition back a few feet.

Yet all was in vain as it was exactly what the Warrior Shaman wanted as he stoppedthe captain's advance, gripping him into a painful bear hug meant to slowly break his back. All the while Serid discharged electricity all over his body to electrocute Robert with powerful electricity while he felt his bones slowly being broken by the mere raw strength of his foe.

"Leave them, Azure is here." The Death knight retracted as the skeletal dragon flew into view.

Upon command Serid threw the large now broken human to the ground. Like his brother in law Durel, his body was now broken from the mere raw power of the Tauren's strength and powers of the elements that aided him.

* * *

"You'll probably think now where are you going to find her." The blood elf said.

He was correct, finding her was the only thing in his mind, now that he knows they took her away. Just like last time. "So what are you saying."

Kreus smiled as he saw the undead dragon flying over to them. "Just find us in westfall. You probably know about the mines there. I'll be waiting for you there when you arrive. That 'rematch' is too tempting to pass up." He said as he smashed a crystal and a portal began to form.

"Why are you telling me this? What purpose do you have of telling me where you will keep her after just taking her from me now?!" he demanded, now enraged with fury as the woman that his heart belong to was taken from him right from under his own nose.

"I'll tell you there." The Blood elf disappeared along with the portal. Preveting Larkon from doing anything now. Remember the instructions. Westfall mines, probably the deadmines that he meant.

"I'll need to move to right now. FUCK!" He cursed.


	44. It is not real

She felt a deep heaviness still around her. She felt that she was waking up from a terrible nightmare, the worse she had experienced yet. Yet even still as she tried to open her blurry eyes her body felt sore and tired to the point of not obeying her desires to move.

She was able to opens her eyes at least. Her vision deeply blurry and unable to allow her to make out what was her surroundings. Yet she felt something so deeply soft on her body. It felt like her bed back at the church yet it felt different for some reason.

Because it was. She was in a different location, all too different. The bed maybe nice by surrounding her were dark concrete walls, built like as if it was hastily made. But it is still packed with whatever luxury it had offered, there wa a closet, there was a rest room, wherever she was she knew this room itself was made for her.

"Surprised, little damsel? The room is not quite the beauty but it is made just for you." A masculine voice said. Alura look to where the direction the voice was and it was revealed to be the blood elf that she had met months past, or the blood elf that experimented on her.

"Surprise mon, remember me?" the Rogue Troll next to the Blood Elf revealed himself. The exact same perverted troll that had kidnapped her in the first place and brought her to the Blood Elf warlock.

"Where am I and what do you want?" Alura asked, her voice was firm as if a renewed attitude has come to her.

"Well. I thought it was just going to be some virgin ritual, but it didn't have to be a virgin because some fucking human already fucked a baby into you." The blood elf commented.

The troll was somewhat disappointed. "Mon, that be damn sad."

"Still experiments are needed." a voice she did not recognize spoke.

Out of the shadows of the room from above the ceiling. A Goblin concealed by his clothes, approached to the ground. Using mechanical bladed legs from a device strapped to his back to move as if a spider was readying to taste it's prey. The Goblin did just that as he approached the Draenei and began examining her.

"So you're the beautiful Draenei subject Lazarus has put us all through hell and back for." the Goblin spoke while grabbing a piece of her beautiful white hair to sniff. "Interesting smell." the Goblin stopped and dropped the hand of hair. "Where are our manners, allow me to introduce ourselves. I am Dr. Jiink. With me is Kreus the Blood Elf. And Kor the Troll. In this place are Daken the Demon Hunter, Serid the Tauren. And our master Lazarus the Death Knight who set this whole chain of events in motion for just you."

"Why? What does this mean for me? And Why me?"

The goblin gripped his chin. "To be honest. I don't know. The artifacts were trying to find something compatible, and then we end up to you."

"In time our lord will reveal to you his intentions for you. But since we are still in need for searching for the Artifacts. It will be sometime before we can commence. So best get used to your new room, for you will be with us for a very long time." the warlock answered before he, the Troll, and the Goblin left the room to leave the Draenei to herself.

As she watched the three leave her alone in her prison. On the outside she looked enraged but on the inside she was deeply terrified and scared. With no other choice she for now had to comply to whatever they tell her for her unborn child's sake. Sitting down on the edge of the bed she softly placed her hands on her tummy which for now was still flat but she could already feel life within.

"Shhh...don't be scared...mommy will protect you, I promise." she spoke sadly to her child within her. Doing her best to comfort it.

* * *

It had been a whole four weeks away from her favorite city away with family and her new mate. During that time the Worgen skipped along the road happily humming to herself with her mate Damian closeby. She had introduced him to her father and brother, as she expected her father was a little hard on him but he was at least proud that she had chosen someone of her Worgen race, even though he was just as human as everybody else's in is men and his son. Her mother was there, having returned from her duties helping the other Druids to aide Malfurion on whatever they were doing. Unlike her father she adored him very much and believed he had a good soul. Kind of odd and ironic she giggled considering she was a Druid and he was a Hunter. Her older brother like their mother liked him as well and instantly became fast best friends with him. It didn't surprise her too much considering her brother was a rogue and Damian was a hunter and the two classes seem to have allot in common to a certain degree. Likewise as the young couple they are they consummated their relationship in secret. Kinar now was free as a bird released from her chastity just like she always look forward to, to a young mute worgen who, much like her father was a human who was a victim of an attack from a feral worgen.

"Come on Damian we're so close!" she cheered excitingly waving over to her mate who unlike her was taking his time to walk over to the city.

Still he had a soft smile to him as he watched her skip around excitingly. The two were in their Worgen forms for the trip. Even though he looked more threatening in his Worgen form, he had that feel that he was as gentle and friendly as a puppy that could fiercely turn to a powerful wolf when he wanted to to protect those he love. Kinar for example.

A gathering covered around the city. There were a lot of people, guards especially and some civilians huddled in a small area. There weren't just anybody, Alura's father and mother were there, same to Thark, Fylrae, Quon, Finan just everyone she knew was there except for Alura and Larkon.

"Love, please tell me they would be able to retrieve Alura, please! I beg you, I beg you." Averia pleaded to her husband as she heard the news of Durel's brother in law while Durel himself was tended by a nurse.

Kinar and Damian had just arrived into the city when they noticed the crowed of people. She was confused on so much commotion that was taking place.

"Um Damian wait here for a moment, please love." Kinar asked her mate, holding his fur clawed hand with her's. With a nod he did as he asked seeing this looking serious for his mate.

With a smile she licked his cheek before rushing over into the crowed to find out what was going on.

"I-I'll tell King Varian about this love I promise, with what the captain said a tauren did take Alura and a death knight if it could be the horde-"

"No! Don't promise me! Tell me you will get her! We will lose our daughter and our grand-" Averia suddenly quieted herself as a word almost slipped passed her lips, but it was already too late.

"Wait, what did you just say?" Joven asked, he wasn't sure he heard her right, did she say their grand, as in grandchild. His head ticked immediately to a response when Averia began to walk away as if to avoid a conversation. She kept a secret, it had to be. She had to have kept a secret. "Averia don't walk away from me in this kind of situation. What did you say regarding about Alura's condition?!"

She inhaled a large gasp of air as she looked at him in the eye deeply. There was every bit of concern inside his eyes, no sense of anger, no sense of hate inside of it, just all pure concern. And now that Alura had disappeared along with Larkon there were no sense of keeping it a secret any longer. "Alura and I kept it a secret!"

"Kept what a secret, what is wrong with Alura and why did you say grand-" he didn't need to ask when realization came at that moment and slapped him in the back side of his head. "Wait you don't mean?" he still asked even though he knew the answer.

"Our daughter Alura is pregnant with our grandchild…" his wife told him finally, sadness and guilt already overwhelming her.

"How long did you know?" He asked softly, his mind now in overdrive knowing not only was Alura's life at stake but now their grandchild also, their ONLY daughter and grandchild.

"I found out two weeks ago." Averia answered.

"But, why didn't you or Alura tell me?" Joven asked, he was not anger or anything, only sad and more concern now. "I had every bit of right to know as a father and soon to be grandfather. Why did you keep it hidden from me?"

"Alura was afraid that you'll turn your anger onto the father of the child. She was afraid that you'll take her away from him even with your assurance about her relationship with him." She said.

To say the Draenei Paladin was shocked was an understatement as he felt his body unable to move or his mind able to process such information all at once. He wasn't sure what to say or think of all of this. "I'm not angry to anyone or even him. Just….concerned. I'm going to get King Varian in this because it was a tauren, and he'll help. It's Alura dear, we get to be grandparents, I thought we would never have that ever since Alura made that vow of chastity years ago." He said. "I'll get help to retrieve her, she'll be back." He said as he hugged her gently.

Averia herself was surprised, like Alura she thought her husband would take such information the wrong way and be angry. Yet she knew in her heart he would never and to see and hear him say he was more proud then he was angry brough small tears to her eyes. Still even with such great news from her husband she knew her daughter was still out there somewhere held captive by some unknown foe, all the while carrying their unborn grandchild in her.

"I've got to go and speak to him about this. The horde will be involved now because of a member of the horde was involved. This could spark political tension between us and that would hamper us in our search." He said as he broke the hug.

"Why would they take her? Why would anyone want to take our Angel away from us. She has never done anything wrong." she asked.

"Larkon will know. He took her out when she was kidnapped months ago. He'll know."

They then saw Flyrae rushing in with the others. "Sir! Larkon is gone! We searched his room in Thark's or the apartment he was in, he's not there! All his armor are gone!"

"What?" Joven asked surprised.

"Damnit I should've kept one of dem cultists alive to beat the information out of. Now they be back to finish the job!" Thark shouted in anger kicking a wooden box to pieces.

"Cultist?!" Averia gasped in shock.

"According to what Thark and Flyrae had told me. The description best fits to belong to members of the Twilight Hammer have taken Alura. However according to what Durel had told us the ones who took Alura doesn't seem to be wearing any colors or symbols of the Cult." Finan summarized.

Averia just had her head scrambled when she heard that members of the Twilight Hammer had taken her pregnant daughter. Her eyes were just wide. "Love, please be quick! Tell him! I don't care! Just tell the king about this!"

It was around the time Kinar had finally arrived to them. "What's going on what's happened?" she asked now becoming frantic from the mystery of what has been going on while she was gone.

"Oi Kinar! Ye be back!" Thark runs in and hugged her. "How ye been doin? Yer alright? Where's the young lad? Eh not this time two ask that question lass. Alura get yerself in trouble again lass. And we need everyone we be needin help." Thark said.

"What? What do you mean she got in trouble what's been going on?" Kinar asked now becoming as scared as the rest of the group.

"She be gone now lass. Larkon, ey I don't know what happened to that boy either. Either he be goin after her because he took his armor again." Thark informed.

"Also Larkon and Alura had finally became an official couple during the time." Finan pointed.

"And she is expecting a child." Joven alerted, something that took everyone by surprise, even Thark.

"Say be what now?" Thark asked.

"Alura is pregnant." Joven told the Dwarf once more.

"Love I don't think Alura wanted them to know right away." Averia mentioned.

"They are their friends, if you had told me then I'll tell them. Transparency keeps us together. They have the right to know because they care for them also." The draenei paladin said.

"Sey what now? Alura? Be havin dem half-breed from the lad?" Thark asked again with dumbfounded surprise. His beard was shaking at the thought of it. "Aye don't know how I be goin to rip that lad's heart when I get me hands on him!"

"See what I mean." Averia mentioned.

"I think I stand corrected." Joven answered. "But no matter. I have to get the king right now and then. I'll leave you for now." He said as he to walk away, calling some other guards along with him to follow.

The old dwarf merely huffed in irritation, turning around he started storming back in the direction of his Inn.

"Oh no I know that look. Thark…" Kinar tried rushing over to talk sense into the dwarf.

"Don't start with me Kinar I be happy ye be back but I ain't gonna sit down why everyone wastes everyone's damn time on politics!" Thark growled.

"Then where are you going to start finding Alura Thark? Fylrae can't because her feline is in the third trimester of pregnancy, and I doubt those fiends are going to be at the exact same place on where they have Alura. I know it hurts to hear but there is nothing we could do but get along with Joven's investigation until a witness or anyone could give us reliable information." Finan entered.

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do Finan?! I ain't leaving her out there for who knows what and I ain't gonna leave that poor boy out there to get himself killed before I kill'em!" Thark growled in the older Archmage's face.

Finan stayed ever calm even with Thark getting up in his face.

"Hey come on guys let's not please…" Kinar tried fearing a fight about to start.

"When Thrall gets here to meet with King Varian, Khadgar will be present as well. I happen to be an old college of Khadgar and perhaps he can help as well. So Thark for once we're just going to have to let the Politics have their way before we can do jack shit!" Finan told Thark seriously not backing off or intimidated by him.

"Aye whatever." Thark angrily stated as he enters the inn, brushing off the others.

* * *

She wasn't sure how long they had been keeping her now. But she still knew that time did not slow down as she sat there in the room waiting for whatever it is. Already she can feel her conditioning worsening, especially at the increased hunger part. She could feel the pains already feel like it tearing her stomach inside as she laid there in the bed in pain.

A knock on the door awoken her from her misery as she saw the rogue troll. In his hands he carried a very elegant bliaut dress. It sported a very icy color of soft blue, reaching down to the level of her hooves, with its sleeves running till the end of her wrists. The shoulder had a small bit of puff as if real ice were inside.

"The master be wanting to dine with ye in person. He be requesting ye wear this to dine with him." Kor smirked and chuckled.

"You can tell him I decline his offer…" she groaned.

That made the troll smirk even more. "He be thinking ye be say that. He be also saying if that be the case, then ye can dine with us, and ye be naked as a freshly newborn." he smirked more.

"That's what you have threat in the past, it didn't happen, so I'll call you on your bluff." She said as she felt the contractions in her stomach. She became hungrier and hungrier by the second.

Kor snapped his fingers to motion two and three more Twilight Cult members to enter. "Ye want to try me sexy maiden?" He said before seeing how the draenei rubbed her stomach. "Ooooh You be hungreh mon. Heh I se, be killin yer fine pregnant ass if you be not eatin fer yer kid inside yeah mon."

Having enough she stood up and yanked the dress from his hands. "Fine…" Kor groaned in disappointment as he and the other perverted cult members were forced to leave the room.

Sometime later after she had the dress nicely secured and placed on, she was lead down a cold hallway. Being followed out by these cultist as an escort towards a meeting with the death knight. Oh how his presence alone would be a danger for her. There the escorts walked away from her as they arrived in a enormous room with a large circular dinner table, as rows and rows of finely cooked food were sprawled across the table. There were cooked beef, salads, anything you could think of as luxurious as it is as wine was prepared for her.

On the far end of the room the Death Knight stood his back to her and his arms crossed. Before him on the other side of a frozen wall of Ice, a full set of Holy Warrior Plate Armor stood in display. Over it was a Tabard of the Lightbringer. In it's hand held a sword identical in design to King Varian's Sword, Shalamayne, but was missing the gem at the lower part of the blade. It was almost exactly like her father's armor that he wore on certain parties and celebrations. The armor and tabard was only given to those who have proven themselves as true Champions of the Light. Unlike her father's, this one was made for a human and it reached about around the Death Knight's size and height.

"You must be hungry after such a long time without food." the Death Knight suddenly spoke, his dark echoing voice sending shivers down her spine. When he turned around his head and face were still concealed by his helmet and hood. "Please, sit."

She did as she told and took a seat to the closest seat close to her. She watched the Death Knight calmly make his way over to the table. Even the metal clasp of his steps made her shiver more in fear. Before he took a seat he removed his cloak and rested it over his chair before sitting.

"Wine?" The death knight offered.

Alura shooked her head. "No, I'm with child."

She could hear a small chuckle from beneath the death knight's helmet. "Likewise, you would be a great mother had you not been here don't you think?"

She did not respond, fearing any words could anger him enough to bring his wrath. Something she could not afford. So instead of responding to her question, she puts her hands in front to start her quiet prayer to the Light. Yet what took her surprise was when she finished she saw the Death knight with his hands in the formation of a prayer with his blue aura eyes closed for him to perform a silent prayer to the Light himself, or was he praying with her?

"Unusual to see a person like a death knight would pray no? It doesn't answer to me, but it gives me great nostalgia." He said still in the stance of prayer, as if he somewhat knew or read her mind of her seeing him praying to the Light.

She didn't answer, she did find it strange to see a Death Knight pray to the Holy Light. Taking a fork and knife she cut a small piece of meat to start the dinner.

"You need not be formal here child. There's no need to stand in tradition. After all, you and your offspring inside you must be hungry." the Death Knight spoke, opening his eyes and placing his hands calmly on the table.

And she did, suddenly chowing down on what's food available in front of her. She had to eat, she had to eat great amounts of food because it is already been many long hours since she last ate. Plus, not only for her own sustenance but also for her unborn child that needs it's mother's help.

As she munched through the leg of a turkey she felt a gentle tap on her arm. Turning she saw the Death knight using his powers to magically lift and hand her a cup of water to her. Gulping the meat in her mouth down her throat, she grabbed the cup and gulped down the cold smooth liquid of water next down into her stomach. When she finished she continued to devour through the turkey leg before finishing and working onto the next one. Around half way finishing she took more large sips of water before she felt a floating apple nicely cut for her tap her.

"Apple?" Lazarus offered.

Then, that's when she felt her fears begin to creep down her spine once more. She looked back at the calm gesture of the Death Knight, then back at the apple and dropped her food on the plate.

"It's poisonous."

Lazarus' response to 'It's poisonous,' was merely a light chuckle. "There is no reason to kill a woman with child."

"Then what is the purpose of me being here?" she asked with fear.

Reaching under the table, Lazarus pulled out a small circular sphere made of platinum and had a variety of magical runes inscribed onto it. "Do you know what this is?"

She shook her head indicating a no.

"This is a piece of an artifact that belong to the first Naarus. Similar to the artifact crystal that made the Ashbringer what it is today." He said before looking towards her. "But when installed into a weapon, Instead of enhancing the weapon, it enhances a body, whether or not it is a Lich king, or an undead or a demon or anyone even them, it enhances it. The power of the light will be embedded it to them, imprisoning it to the body of its host, forcing it to do its bidding no matter how harsh it may be." He said.

Standing back up and putting the artifact piece away he walked back over to the set of Holy Warrior Plate armor displayed behind frozen Ice.

"Years ago I discovered the existence of this artifact which I would go to install into my sword the Rallying Blade. But instead of enhancing the weapon like the Ashbringer, it enhanced all of my powers and abilities to...well let's just say it made me terrifyingly powerful. And I knew at that moment with it, one could bring the world into a new order. Thus the reason why the Silver Hand, Kirin Tor, and other factions back then went to great lengths to keep it hidden from the world from any who would seek them out even in their deaths.

She had to ask what was now going through her mind, she needed to know the answer of. "Who are you? Or actually who were you?"

The Death Knight stood still for a long moment before turning around to face her. "I was once the Paladin Eldon Hayes, a Paladin of the Silverhand and former student of Uther the Lightbringer."

Remaining calm he walked over to her, standing behind her once he stopped. "I was once just like you, just like them. Oh so righteous I was, with not a thought in the world, giving hopes and dreams to other people. Just like the little romance you have with that boy I too fell in love, just like any other human being, it was all well till reality kicked in!"

"Reality? Have you finally snapped out from your delusions?" Alura mocked.

"In a way yes. You see, my love was a victim of the Silverhand's so called Holy Warriors. Protect the weak, to bring justice to the unjust, and to vanquish evil from the darkest corners of the world. They were suppose to be not only zealots, but also guardians of the righteous. But you may ask why did they attack her? They attacked her because she was different, and I saw it with my own eyes, her voice slipping away because their rusty sword were too dull to kill her. So in return, I killed them through self defense, these fiends, those murderers.

He turned to her, his glowing icy blue eyes locking over her as he bended forward, facing her. "I healed my beautiful Erecia but it was then I finally realized in that moment after the Light left me. That there are those who use the authority they swore into as a means to an end to further their own agenda. They care not of those they were meant to help but for own selfish selves in their never ending lust for more power. And apparently the Light answer even to the wicked at hears as long as their faithful to it. The Silverhand, the military, the church, there are always those who will use the power anointed to them to abuse with no regard to those they make suffer under their boots. Any who disagree or does not comply to their views simply suffer or worse."

The Death knight looked away. "When I killed them I did not feel any guilt, that must be the reason that the Light left me. But how could I have felt guilt? I watched the people I once looked up and called brothers try to kill someone innocent simply because she was different. They cared not to listen or show mercy, they ignored her pleas and screams as they only laughed."

He soon turned to look to her. "You….oh no you, you felt absolute dread when you took that murderous brute's life. You asked for forgiveness for days on out just because of that moment. You are the epitome of a pure heart child, you are incorruptible, and the light would give itself WILLINGLY to have you in its domain, that's what those Paladins tried to hide from us. Because even though this crystal has long lost it's power to enhance the body, all it needs is a pure soul and heart and the light would be imprisoned by it to give to those it's divine power, whether the host could be anything!" He said till he finally revealed his plan. "And that's where you come into play dear….."

The Draenei was now growing scared and he could see it by the look in her eyes and the way he noticed her body shaking without her control. "And...the artifact of the first Naaru?"

"That's why there's no reason to have your death."

"You're delusional! All these talks of hypocrisy about innocent life yet you will sacrifice me! You're delusional!" Alura shouted.

He stopped moving for a moment, picking a glass of wine closeby, stirring its contents gently as he stared at his reflection. "Believe me, if there was any other way, I would've taken it long ago when I had the chance. But… fate as it would seem, would see fit that this be the only way."

"You won't succeed. The boy that you mentioned who I love will come here and he will stop whatever plans you have for-"

Suddenly he used his other hand to gently remove his helmet, finally showing his true face to her for the first time.

The very sight terrified Alura, taking her by surprise as she screamed a loud scream of terror. She had seen many undead before but none as horrifying as the Death Knight in front of her. He was the true image of the stuff of nightmares a twisted dark and terrifying looking undead creature. His skin was frozen grey and rotting, his muscles and bones were exposed. Other then his frozen blue aura glowing eyes, his other most terrifying feature was his his jaw which lacked any lips and possessed a larger set of sharper, more jagged, more vicious-looking fanged teeth.

"I do not think so…" he simply spoke, sounding more darker and more serious as his icy blue eyes glowed even more. The sounds and image was all it took to send the poor Draenei to the breaking point of feeling absolute terror.

"Stay away from me and keep that delusion to yourself!" Alura shouted as she runs off back to the hallway and into her room.

Her body was in utter absolute shock and terrified. She had seen monsters and creatures of the undead before. She had heard the tales of the horrors of the Lich King and acts born of those caused by Deathwing or the Burning Legion. Yet none had any or ever have or ever will come close to what she had saw or will. What are their plans for her? Just a pawn for them to sacrifice? To kill her in order to get them stronger?

"Perhaps a little vision would be more precise." she heard his voice once more, suddenly appearing from behind her as if he was waiting for her. With him was the same Tauren who aided in kidnapping her. "Show her what the Spirits had shown you Serid." Lazarus requested.

"Please, please, no just leave me alone, please." She pleaded.

The Tauren calmly walked to the Draenei, cornering her to the wall before he had her where he wanted her. Placing both of his giant muscular hands onto each side of her head, his eyes flashed with a bright light as he allowed the Spirits to show her the vision.

"Theia go inside the house quickly I promise daddy will be with you in a moment." Larkon said to her as he watched her off going inside the house. Already the Legion's invasion spread across, he could only hope that whatever the horde and alliance are doing they would succeed because what remained in the defenses of the eastern kingdoms are just a hair away from being overwhelmed. He already failed on bringing Alura out from their grasp, now that they had took her, turned them into something that he doesn't know. An Eridari they said, the mistresses of the Burning Legion, who commanded all who are below them.

"Daddy why is mommy so angry with you." Larkon snapped back as he heard his two year old daughter, Theia through the window.

"Theia just stay in the Kitchen! I'll be with you! Just stay!" He said as he looked at the distance. She was closing in, and she was all alone, just her in her purple robe and her purple skin while the fires of fel burned around the foundation of their home. The grasses that they once sow together were burned beneath her feet.

Larkon finally was able to be with his daughter, he kneeled down and firmly put his hands on her shoulder. "Theia whatever happens, keep firm okay? No matter what happens keep your mind firm on me, mommy, and the Light okay? Don't be afraid, just don't be afraid, I'll talk to mommy right on here and out." His words sounded the entire opposite.

"But daddy…" she whimpered, tears of sadness pouring from her tiny little cheeks.

"Hey, hey don't cry sweetie, daddy will be right back, I promise." Larkon tried smiling, softly wiping the large tears from her tiny soft cheeks.

The door opened. Simple sounds of steps coming in closely to their direction as Larkon put himself between his own daughter and her 'mother' or could she still be even regarded as. "Alura, please, if you are still in there, please, think of your own family. I won't fight you Alura, I won't fight you."

Larkon heard a dark feminine laugh as her reply. "What a silly display of human affection isn't it 'love'? So powerless because you are too weak to strike me."

"I'm not going to strike you down Alura."

"Then allow me." The former draenei raised her hand as a green glow began to form at the edge of her finger tip.

Larkon immediately ran towards Theia, covering her with his own self. There is no stronger force than a father's love for his daughter.

The fel striked his body as he hugged her tightly. Shielding her away from harm. "Sta-stay strong Theia, st-stay strong." He told her in the midst of the greatest pain. His teeth were grit as the fel began to destroy the fabric of his body as the fel spread from his back through his shoulders and legs. "D-daddy will protect you always-daddy will protect you always-Theia-" He suddenly fell down to her side, his entire body covered with green glowing cracks, his eye was green, yet it bore no life.

"Daddy…?" the small child asked. Hoping and wishing that this was just a nightmare, that her daddy is just playing with her. Sadly to her fears it was not the case.

She as she watched what was left of her father drop lifelessly to the ground, she saw the dark shadow gleaming over her. Making her slowly looked up at the person that though looked liked her mother but was not the same. "Mommy...why did you hurt daddy, you're mean momma. You're scaring me." She began to cry as she kneeled to her father, pushing him on. "Daddy wake up daddy, mommy is scaring me, I don't like her joke." She began to cry harder as the shadow of her once mother loomed over her.

Purple hands took her by her shoulders as carried her like what mothers would carry their toddlers. "Shhhh mommy is here." The false image of her mother told her, yet Theia did not recognize her words, nor did she feel any affection. "Don't worry, mommy is going to protect you." She said as her hands glowed green, infecting the innocent child as the child's own light blue skin began to change to match hers. Her short, blunt horns began to grow longer and pointed.

"Hehehehe." The child seemingly smiled as her eyes began to change. "I love you mommy."

The vision soon ended as the Tauren showed her what the spirits wanted her to see.

"As you see, the Burning Legion are coming back. And we will not survive their invasion, for as long as the Alliance and Horde continue their petty differences against one another while the people in power continue to abuse those around them for more power. That will happen…" The Death Knight spoke seriously.

"No…..no! That is not true! I don't believe what nonsense you are trying to tell me! I don't! Now leave me be!" She roared and with that they honored her request as they nodded and left her.

The Death Knight and Battle Shaman stood outside. They could hear the young draenei mother crying in her room.

"These visions, Serid, are you sure of them?" Lazarus asked.

Serid's response was a soft sigh. "No It was not. I believe it is a lie, the elements lied to me would mean there is something for us that we need to even look for." He said before coming to a conclusion. "But for the draenei, it doesn't change her faith. The other visions of the elements were true and we truly need her."

"If what you say is true. If their past visions to us were real, why would they lie to her with a false vision?"

"Because perhaps it would ensure that she will go through with this. Just an assurance to her that her life ends with suffering even if she lives a perfect life as a mother, she would not trade her sacrifice if the other road for her was of her being corrupted and destroying what she protects." Serid said.

"So basically, the elements lied to her because they want her to go through with it, am I correct?"

"Correct my lord." Serid spoke.

"Hmmm, let's leave this matter to itself at the time. But for now, let's proceed to other tasks at hand." He gestured to move.

"As you wish my lord." the tauren bowed his head and proceeded to walk away following Lazarus.

She had to ponder her thoughts. Whatever that vision revealed to her was false, it had to be. She wouldn't be like that. To destroy the very thing that she wanted to protect. To destroy that very thing that she loved with all her heart. She is already building her life, their promised hopes that they would be a simple family. It had to be false. She wouldn't turn on them, even if the burning legion had destroy her, she won't no matter what.

"It's not true." She said to herself, but it felt so real. It felt too real, the way Larkon pleaded with her, the way their child, Theia, that was her name screamed and cried for her father as she shook her soul. It felt too real. She doesn't want to believe it was real but it began to feel it was! "It's not true! It's not true!" Alura began to chant. "Larkon and I will love each other till our lives meet its end. We will care for our child and live together in peace till we grow old, please tell me that would be our future, even if I have to watch him grow old and die while I will still be young as a flower, please reveal to me that, that would be my future, that the vision was lie, that I would not have to hear their pleas to me." Alura cried out.

She cried this to herself over and over and over again and again. She refused to believe such a horrible vision to be ture, to be her future if she refused to along with their plans. She did not want to believe it, she did not want to believe it as she knew it had to be false. Already she could feel her stomach turn in pain. It was almost if the child in her was scared. Softly she rubbed her belly and did what she thought was best to try and sooth her unborn child.

"Shhh...it's okay, don't be scared. Mommy won't let that happen, mommy will be right here…" she spoke, though a smile form on her lips she could not hold back the soft tears that formed in her eyes.


	45. Re-introduction

It took him three days, three days to arrive in westfall and another three to reach the mines. His head already began to ache as his journey took toll on him. The rain were pouring and he kept on walking, sometimes going on as early as the dawn at three while ending at the middle of the night and resuming. He had to steal a horse in order to boost his journey much faster.

Alura's disappearance was now national news. Perhaps all of Alliance knows about the news. Though Alura herself wasn't known much, it was because of her lineage and her connection to her great father that it put her disappearance to stardom, alongside with the fact that a horde member took her. Talks already began about 'tension' raising in as the Warchief Vol'jin and Thrall made their way to Stormwind to talk about the current issue, to resolve whatever tension plus retrieving back the draenei girl.

Larkon knew where she was. The blood elf told him himself to where she is, plus warning him that if he tells anyone, a head would be delivered to his doorsteps, and he knew what he meant. He wasn't going to call a bluff, not when her life is in danger.

Thankfully he kept the armor he wore during his time as a gladiator around. He knew it would've came in handy for a situation like this since he failed to kill the warlock months ago. Just thinking about it made him grip a fist in anger, if he had just killed him right there when he had the chance all of this could've been avoided. Then again there was this person he talked about. The one he spoke of when he said 'he would come for her.' Just exactly who is this 'he' he spoke of and what is his desire for Alura to begin with?

He had no time for that. The sun still high in the sky as he arrived at the farming area. All three thousand hectares of it that supplied that entirety of the Stormwind City's grain, though each hectare belonged to each family. Everyone of each gets to have their fair share of the harvest. But as a human, he began to grow hungry. He hadn't ate for the last two days. He was too quick to steal a horse that he forgot to steal food for himself. Other than being supplied by a canteen that was already less than half to what it was he would probably die before even getting to the location if the dehydration and hunger strikes him throughout his journey.

"Hey! You there! Stop, your horse is stepping over the seeds!" A young man's voice called. Larkon turned around to see a young lad like him, just in his mid twenties with black hair and dark eyes, just as tall as him. He seemed to have his fair share of struggles judging from the rougher appearance of his face, but it retained some glow or could be even considered handsome in human standards. "Come on now, move your horse out of the way. Healthy season is kicking in and I want everything to be ship shape in my farm. I've got three other mouths to feed."

"Sorry…" he responded. Motioning his horse off the the farmer's fields so he may continue onwards to where he was heading. "Do you have a well here or at least a shop around these parts? I'm interested in buying food, I can pay them more than their worth."

"Woah, woah, now hold on their fella. You look like your older than me but it's clear as day you're not smarter than me. But I got you, just follow me in the shack, I got some few grains and more, I could probably give it to you for free, you seem like you're in a hurry." The young farmer said.

"You could say that." Larkon answered. He did not wish to say much about where he was going in fear for Alura's life, so he wanted to be as enigmatic to his answers as much as he could.

"Ladies come quick we have a guest and customer." the farmer called out to the three ladies he was keeping into his shack.

If Larkon had to deal with great shock in the most sentimental way it had to be in this moment. Three ladies of great familiarity, they lived together in that mansion for five months surviving in tooth to nail in the pits while gladly being serviced in the end as a reward. Shock was just an understatement even as he was motionless when they showed up.

"Arseah?" He had to ask. Golden blonde hair, short stature, slender physique, beautiful face, yet he could notice her eyes were no longer green, instead it had been replaced with a hue of blue.

"Larkon, is that you?" she had to ask, it had been so long since she and her sisters had seen him.

"Really? Larkon's here?" he heard the night elf Seleara call from the back. Rushing at the front along with Rachel. "Larkon, oh my goodness by Elune's light is that you?" He had to contemplate for a second to what is happening.

Three people that he along with him enslaved now lived in a farmer's area. "How?"

"The Blood elf's men escorted us here at Rachel's suggestion!" Seleara suddenly answered.

"You three know this lad?" the farmer asked.

"Of course Lennox, this was the human gladiator who helped us through the tough times when me, Arseah and Seleara were slaves. Larkon this is Lennox my brother I've told everyone so much about." Rachel spoke.

"Wait, so you're that guy?" Lennox suddenly asked approaching him. "I owe you, Rachel said when you along with that Orc friend of yours were protecting these three from everybody. I don't know about the blood elf slaver that she said was kind, but still. I owe you. I wasn't going to live much longer knowing my sister is the only family I got left." He said, offering his hand for a shake and Larkon gladly accepts it.

"They're good ladies. Kind people." He said.

"So what brings you all the way here close to where we live?" the high elf disguised blood elf asked.

"Well it's something personal. I can't talk much about it but I'm on a bit of a personal quest. Nothing serious just got to retrieve somethings." he lied carefully, he didn't want to risk Alura's safety or risk his close friends here in danger of knowing what happened.

"How has Urak been?" Rachel asked.

"We've parted shortly after we were set free. I moved on to better things, though it took awhile for me. Had new relations that changed me." Larkon replied.

"New relations hu? I knew a handsome stud like you would've sooner or later find the right woman." the Night Elf smiled.

"Uhh, Selarea, tone down that language pleeeease." Rachel requested.

"And you three, how is life going along? You've been taking care of these three right Lennox?" Larkon asked.

"Oh yes very much. It had been years since I saw my younger sister. Imagine my delight to see her return unharmed. With her was her two closest friends who she saw as her sisters. So me as her brother naturally welcomed them into our family. We've been doing what we could to live a normal simple life away from all the issues and troubles the Alliance and Horde tend to get themselves in."

"Speaking of which, there is talk that an issue occurred in the city. A Draenei was taken by a Tauren. So it has the two factions at uneasy amongst each other." Arseah mentioned.

Larkon rubbed the back of his head as these three doesn't even know that draenei was his girlfriend. "Yes, that's how it is and with these relationship between the horde and the alliance. And how about Seleara, have found one yet?"

"Well, Lennox have been quite the ladies man recently, ain't that right, how you have been ravaging me with your big thing." Seleara joked.

Lennox face blushed a red as he tried not to say anything regarding his relationship with the night elf. "But hey anyhow. Why don't we give Larkon is some what's left that we don't need."

"Of course, wait right here I'll be back with what you need." Rachel happily spoke before rushing to the kitchen.

"Umm, Larkon, how is life since….we parted?" Arseah asked, taking the opportunity now that the three others rushed into the kitchen. "You're happy right?"

"I am Arseah. Indeed I am…" he answered.

"I'm glad. I'm happy here with them. Though I still wished I could still be with you….I know that you loved somebody else long before we met Larkon, but I still. I still hold that in me, because, well. You're the one that showed my what is like to be loved truly." Arseah commented.

"Well, no matter what Arseah I still love you too, though as a friend only, we can still see each other from time to time, now that I know you three are here. And even then I could be your neighbor if I get to retire as a farmer also." He replied. "How about you Arseah, do you have someone? Lennox seems like a good guy, he reminds me of myself back when...well, back before all these events happened to me."

"Well...he is seeing Seleara but she has been talking with me regarding wuld I like to, join them." her face blushed a pink color.

"Aaah, I don't know how to respond to that but...if it makes you happy, well, it's your decision Arseah, and I'll support you wherever you decided what to do as a close friend of mine." He hugged her. It's been a long time since the last time he wrapped his arms around her small frame.

She smiled softly, it had been a long time she she had her soft delicate arms wrapped around his powerful muscular frame. She missed it and still did, yet she was happy to see him once more and happy to see even now he continues to help guide her to a life she deserved.

"Oh happy reunion." Seleara commented. "Hey stud, you know, you really look like Lennox, but you are still bigger on the downside." She teased as a bag of bread and some other food was brought in.

"Now I envy him…" Lennox spoke shyly. Like his younger sister he appeared to be shy at times himself.

"Would you please stop talking about the size of your reproductive organ!" Rachel butted in as she gave Larkon some of hers. "Hey Larkon, visit us if you could okay? Now that you know where here, you'll know when you know." She hugged him.

"Of course, I'll be sure to find time to visit as much as I can. I plan to start a life as a simple farmer, perhaps we can make trades with each other in the near or far future." He said as his expressions change. "But..I've got to go for now. I need to do something important.." He said as he packed up on his horse.

"Of course Larkon, come by and visit soon." the three spoke softly, watching him pack his things up before hopping onto the horse to ride to his destination.

* * *

"So, here again. Stormwind. It's been well, I've never got to be in Stormwind mon." Vol'jin said as they stroll through the Stormwind Gates, escorted with mixed races of humans and orcs at the expense of King Varian. After the incident that led to the kidnapping of the daughter of a renowned person, tensions began to arise because the incident led to a question when a horde member was involved. "Mon, I be sure dat the tauren mon was a mercenary, prolly not horde but he be a horde because of his race we need to help them and help the girl back." He said.

"If it is who I think it is, his actions may have stirred something among our allies with the Alliance, Warchief." his closest friend and former Warchief of the Horde, Thrall had spoken.

Vol'jin softly chuckled when he was called 'Warcheif.' "Ante never gonna get used to you callin' me dat brother." he smiled.

Meanwhile Urak rode on his Armored Frostwolf mount and closes friend, Kalib. Riding him alongside the cart close to where the warchief's where along with his adopted daughter rode on female Armored Frostwolf named Frang. In the Orc's hands with the use of a strong rock he sharpened a unique hand and a half a single-edged sword. The blade featuring a single-edged cleaver-blade that swelled slightly towards the tip. featured a curved leaf shape on one side and a straight edge on the other with etched runic inscriptions running along the blade. The guard was crafted from cast metal and features simulated gemstones, while the hilt features an acrylic resin grip shaped from the tooth of a dragon. The grip was made of a large wood capped in a metal somewhat curved pommel.

"Have I ever told you, Serga, that my father, Sourk the first, was a Blademaster of the Burning Blade Clan. While my mother was a warrior huntress of the Frostwolf Clan." He smiled finishing sharpening the sword to admire it's absolute perfect craftsmanship. "They both taught me everything I know to this day, training me to be a Blademaster of the Frostwolf Clan. This was his sword, I was going to pass it on to my son Sourk the second before his death

"You've told me once. Though, I would be honest father. I'm not fond the Burning Blade Clan, they had a history of murder." Serga said.

"I know, thus the reason why my father chose to leave them in favor of the Frostwolf where he met my mother and had me a born member of the Frostwolf. While still training me in the ways of the Blademaster and passing down his sword onto me." he mentioned sheathing the sword onto his left hip. Though the smile on his face soon turned into a frown. "If may ask Thrall, my daughter Serga tells me that my son Serid was shown a vision from the Elements regarding the Return of the Burning Legion. And that he tried to persuade you into try and persuade the other leaders into joining together against them. Do you think this incident is of his doing?"

The renowned shaman chuckled. "It just means his conscience did not change from good to evil. Just led away from the right path. When he returns forcibly or voluntarily, he will face not my wrath, just my counseling. And my thoughts about who he followed, he must have been a deceitful man to deceive the young warrior." The former warchief replied.

Urak's response was only a sigh, feeling ashamed and regret for being responsible should his adopted son being part of this mess. "I should've been there to talk with him when the elements showed him this vision."

He felt a soft hand placed onto his shoulders, his step daughter's hand as he turned to see her smile. "Father, Serid's downfall to whatever path he had chosen was not of your doing."

"I know, I know." He said as his attention falls to the distance as Varian arrives to greet them in. With the Human king was the Archmage and Leader of the Kirin Tor, Khadgar.

"Welcome to the Kingdom of Stormwind Leaders of the Horde. I take your long trip here was at least formal?" the Archmage greeted.

"Khadgar, not as old as I was expecting." Baine chimed in. "If one of my people had done a deed that it is every father's nightmare of to have their daughter taken in the night."

"The Draenei who was taken was the daughter of Vindicator Joven, one of the Champions who helped defeat the Lich King in Northrend." Varian pointed out. "Her plight lead to unease about our trust within ourselves because the culprit was a tauren. The Vindicator is a renowned man, he was the closest friend for our dear late Maraad." He said.

"So we need to gather here, and some of your warriors to stay a bit in the city to to help the Alliance. To make the townsfolk that the incident would not lead to negative tension. And, we could help to bring the girl back. Her disappearance may not mean much as a whole but that would mean everything in our trust, especially to the draenei's. Humanity already has a great deal of respect and closeness of their race, some as close to lovers but that would mean all for naught to orcs, to humans, to taurens if we let the tension rise up." Khadgar told them, gesturing at the other guards at the gate to open up the main gates.

Upon command the guards opened the gates to the city for their leaders and the leaders of the Horde to enter.

* * *

"So King Varian mon. Da girl isn't known much yet she be spreadin national news on the eastern kingdoms. Ede be common such as humans being kidnapped or Night Elves?" Vol'jin asked.

"No it is no longer common Vol'jin. The in the last week there were zero reports of kidnapping of any races ever since we had cracked down kidnappers around the kingdoms of the following months. The trading carts are escorted with five or more men each, so it had been reduced to almost non-existence." Khadgar answered for him. "The High Elves are beginning to have more impact as their population grew higher, reaching to the twenty five thousand mark in Stormwind alone, not counting other areas. Their relation with us had become stronger, but that would be all for naught if that relationship begins to crack once more about this incident because they began to question the dependence of protection in the Alliance." Added the Archmage.

"What other reports have they spoke of this Tauren. What did he look like, wear, what were his colors or markings?" Baine asked next.

"We haven't gotten that much from the witnesses. Most are still too heavily injured to speak right now." Varian responded.

"Then perhaps you could allow me a word with one of your wounded." Thrall requested.

"The only thing they could give Thrall is that they astride a frost wyrm in order to escape. That was the only thing that there is. Coupled with the incident that a general in the Alliance had been investigated in because one of the Church's widowers had reported in for attempted rape. She said that she was saved by a Death Knight. But it doesn't add much." Varian replied.

"If a Death Knight is suspected to being part of this incident then where is the lord of the Ebon Blades now for us to question?" Baine demanded.

"Just arriving now, and that is highlord of the of the Knights of the Ebon Blade, Baine." the group soon heard the dark echoing voice of the Highlord Darion Mograine speak. The Death Knight finally arriving and entering the throne room of Stormwind, accompanied by a few of his Death Knight Ravager bodyguards. "A small kidnapping of a draenei doesn't interest me much Khadgar. Why do we make such a big deal out of it?"

"Well Obviously Highlord, a daughter of a renowned draenei was kidnapped in our own CITY inside our own WALLS and the culprit is a HORDE member along with probably the rogues of the Ebon Blade that would ensure negative political tension and relations if nothing would be done. So does that answer your question Highlord Darion Morgraine?" Varian replied, emphasizing the obvious points loudly.

"Yes as I am well aware of the suspects at hand." the Highlord spoke, taking his seat among the others gathered to speak of the issue at hand. "But if these are rogue members, mercenaries perhaps, then why are we all gathered here if these suspects have nothing to do with any of us?"

"Does the people care if they are mercenaries? These suspects were part of the races of the horde. With them carefully monitoring us even these small eve-"

"If I could respectfully chime in Archmage I would like to ask to stop using the word small event in regards to my daughter." The draenei vindicator beside them suddenly said. "Her disappearance may not mean much to you but it would mean everything to me knowing she was with child."

That got the room silent for a long moment.

"My apologies my friend I had no-" Khadgar spoke before Darion interrupted.

"Again if I may ask if this issue is of a Tauren's mishap then why am I here wasting my time. So a Death knight saved a woman from Rape. And a Frost Wyrm was spotted to be used as a means for the tauren to escape with the Draenei. That still doesn't tell me why I am here wasting my time with petty Politics. Frost Wyrms are fearsome creatures to tame and though difficult, not impossible for non death Knights to tame them. This Tauren could have well been it's master."

"You're probably not that much informed Mograine because a death knight was spotted just as the tauren climbed off the frost wyrm. It must be it's master. And the witnesses said that it has the symbol of the Ebon Knights, that would mean a rogue had been aroused. So if the people would hear from this that your men have been defecting from your own organization for their own personal reasons, you would come along for the worse." Thrall putted him in his place.

"And Thrall I would assure you that any who choose to defect from us for personal gain or worse would be immediately hunted down and dealt with at my disclosure. And I would greatly like to ask what proof do these witnesses have that involve the Ebon Blade in this incident?!" Darion demanded. "Described to me this Death Knight and I will have him or her dealt with the moment I am finished here."

"Nothing else, just a death knight with tall stature and had the symbol in its armband. There are hundreds of Death Knights in your garrison that is probably taller than six feet." Khadgar said.

"So mon, we be needin some of our own friends to help you in dis city? Or at least assure dem folks here in da city that there is no tension in us by bringing in ma own men in dis city fer a time?" Vol'jin finally voiced as he laid in silence for a long time.

"Why do I have the strong feeling this will take a long time among them?" Urak whispered to his daughter as he stood behind the Warchief and leader of the Earthen Ring.

"Urak, I have a task for you. I want you to lead the men here in the city, tell them that they will be guarding the gates and the trading routes for the merchants here near Stormwind. Baine will do the rest. And you can choose whether you should stay here and be part of the group or return home. Baine will stay here in Stormwind to secure the safety of this interfactional garrison." Thrall suddenly ordered.

"With all do respect Thrall I choose the choice of staying in the city by having our men guard the gates and trading routs. If this Tauren is my adopted son I would like to know if he was involved or not." Urak respectfully requested with a bow of his head.

"Then you have my permission, you are relieved from the work as my own personal bodyguard." Thrall said.

With another respectful bow, Urak took his leave from the room.

"And Serga…" Thrall continued.

"What will you have me do my teacher?" Serga asked her teacher.

"Assist your father. That is your assignment Serga, and probably your last. You did more than what I expected from you." Thrall replied with a soft smile.

"As you wish." she bowed her head respectfully and took her leave to join her father.

The draenei vindicator suddenly met the fellow Archmage as Khadgar wanted to have a word with him. "Forgive me vindicator, I know it is a terrible year for us, especially to you when your closest friend Maraad had to give his life, now along with your daughter."

"I know you did not intend for it Archmage. There is nothing to apologize. Now, you have a quest to ease the tension of our factions and now I have a quest to find my own daughter."

"Then I can gather some of my folks for help. The SI:7 would definitely help. A Worgen general is free from his assignments, he perhaps would be very helpful to you." The high ranking mage told him as he bellows a messenger. "Send in General Kodan to Stormwind. I'm sure he will call for duty in this situation for." He ordered and the messenger nodded.

"I'll deal with it Archmage." He said as he trotted downstairs from the barracks. He had to go into the church for a bit to tell his wife that he had some grounds to start the search for Alura.

* * *

Averia stayed at the Church, speaking with her daughter's teacher High Priestess Laurena regarding the situation. Despite Averia being a woman with more years and experience then the Human High Priestess, she herself every now and then needed counseling with a fellow high priestess.

"I worry about her. I wonder where she could be right now." Averia said to her fellow colleague.

Laurena laid a hand onto the taller woman and sighed. "I worry to. Especially not only it is Alura alone, but your future grandchild to. I would weep till months on if something bad happen to my priestess." she softly muttered.

"Why would anyone take her? She has done nothing to make enemies, she has always stayed faithful to the Light, even now as she has chosen the life no longer bound to the choice of chastity she still is a faithful member to the Light's holy grace. Why would anyone wish harm on her when she has done nothing to earn such a fate?"

"I do not know your holiness. For years I have taught those in the ways of the Light for those who walk the path of a Priest. I have seen many set off to adventure on their own and some remain here to the church. My answer is as hard to find as yours is."

The two fellow High priestess stopped their conversation when they noticed the presence of the chief Paladin of the City, rushing to speak to them.

"Pardon me your holiness but I must speak with High Priestess Laurena for something urgent." Grayson requested.

"Lord Grayson with do respect can this wait. Her holiness' only daughter is out there missing and with child. She is deeply terrified of this and requires my counseling." Laurena requested.

"My high priestess this can't wait because as of now or for I don't know how long we've got bigger problems." Grayson spoke as seriously as he could, a look of deep nervousness was clearly present on his face. "Follow me to the storage in the library. Give me the second half of the key." He said as they follow through the hallway towards the deep section of the library.

By now with the mention of 'second half of the key,' the High Priestess was now growing as nervous as he was. Something that confused the Draenei Priestess. The Paladin was looking around to see if the someone is following around, especially curious priest and priestesses. "I've noticed the Keyhole has been scraped around that some of it's paint is scraped out. And my key box was moved. I remembered it so well the last time I checked my keybox, down the line to the last centimeter. I didn't move my key box since I locked the key in." he said as he puts both of the key pieces together.

"How long has the pain of the keyhole been scrapped?" Laurena asked now sounding more terrified of the possibility of there being a breach.

"I do not know. If someone had entered then he was a pro. One with skills so great that it has taken me this long just to realize a disturbance."

"Um, what is going on?" Averia asked.

"But Grayson there are only a few who know of this. We were instructed by Tirion Fordring to keep its location locked away from the world. Only he, myself, and you know of it's secretes." Laurena explained. "How can it-"

"I don't know alright. Paladins and Priests as well as Kirin Tor thirty years ago were informed about this, and all of them are either dead or retired. So it's impossible for something like this to happen." The older paladin said.

"I knew about that." A soft voice suddenly reached behind them, revealing it to be the high draenei priestess. "If it is about that. Then we now know why Alura is taken."

"We're not sure yet, we have to check and see, it could be coincidence." Grayson proposed as he used a master key to open the vault that lead to the secrete part of the library.

Everything seemed intact but most in the library was not what they wanted to check. Grayson rushed to the chest that had the statue of Uther standing above it. Using the two special keys, he opened the dusty treasure case. His fear becoming reality as he saw the empty contents within the chest.

"By the Light...they're gone...all of them...the notes, the maps, everything…" Grayson spoke, his voice of clear fear. "Oh no…."

"Whatever they are all of it would all be for naught. We will find them. We still have some time. The ritual cannot be done till…..till summer." Averia said, noting to them that she knew about this, but she realized something, she realized that summer is already looming in. "By the light four months….If they will do it then before Alura's birth then the baby would also be…"

"Tirion is still at Northrend in the Argent Keep, and even if we could get to him we wouldn't know where to look. The Kirin Tor won't be any help they'll just blame us for letting it fall into the wrong hands. I don't think informing the King of this would be wise either as he would demand why such a secret was kept from him." Grayson summarized.

Laurena then sighed at the fact. "Then we are all on our own for now. If we find Alura then there is a good chance we will find all of the documents with her captors. Then at that time we will seal it for good and keep Alura safer." She said.

"Still Tirion needs to be informed of this. I will try and message him but your holiness I cannot guarantee he will come. By the time he would be even able to get the letter, it would be too late."

"Don't." The Draenei mother and soon to be grandmother intervened. "Please, I need all of the help to find Alura. I promise when we find her the documents would be too."

"And the Artifact pieces what about them?"

"They will be found. They would need all of it first before they need a host. So we have time. Small time...but it is enough to save her if we can muster for the operation. I assure you that, if nothing else would be done….then I would plead guilty for withholding such information." The high draenei channeled her hands to glow as she points at her forehead. "My glow is my promise."

* * *

She had been laying there on her bed for sometime. The terrifying experiences she had just saw still haunting her very core. The plans for her, the visions they had shown just everything. Even the Death Knight's nightmarish appearance haunted her as she just could not get over that face, those eyes and teeth.

She thought her turmoil of pregnancy would be experienced by showed love and kisses as she lay there beside someone she loved. But that was not the case. Even now the bump of her stomach had began to show, just slightly forming over, protruding against her skin, her baby inside her, being so protected by her, his or her mother. The baby inside her would probably be a girl, a very beautiful girl that showed in a the vision, Theia was her name, such a deserving name for a very beautiful girl.

She rubbed the very small bump in her stomach and just whispered. "Theia, I promise you in my life, in my mind, in my soul, that I will protect you. That you will live a happy life, growing up with mommy and your daddy. I promise you that I will never hurt you, that whatever that vision is, is just a lie….." Her eyes began to tear up as the thought of motherhood approaches. She needs to learn now how to be strong, that crying your problems away would no longer be enough. That she needs to find strength as a future mother.

"How touching…" her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the Warlock she now knew his name of being Kreus.

"What do you want?" she asked, not afraid of him if anything irritated and annoyed. She just wanted to be left alone after all that she just witnessed.

"Well, the master is concerned for your health so he wants me to take a blood sample from you and see how're you holding up." with a snap of his fingers he conjured a demonic serrated knife. Walking over to her he held her hand out and gently cut her palm. Allowing her blue blood to drip into a vial for him.

She only flinched just a little, having grown used to pain as painful as a mere cut in the palm. "What's in it for you?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What do you gain in all of this. Money, power, control? Why are you doing this, what does the Death Knight offer you for doing this?" she asked bluntly.

He did not look her in the eyes, only finishing collecting the blood sample he needed. When he finished he walked over to her dresser and looked himself in the mirror. Mostly as the rune tattoo on his left eye. He softly rubbed the tattoo runes on his eye before he continued.

"I wasn't always like this. There was a time I was just a simple high elven mage with normal friends and family. I never had a wife or children of my own but I had nephews and nieces to view as children…"

He stopped looking at himself in the mirror and sat down in a chair close to a table. "And then Arthas came and I saw reality…." He said somewhat eerily. "Their suffering from the painful addiction to Mana was...too much for them to bare. No matter how much anyone could do for them. Not even the sweet little blood elf priestess that had been supplying a dozen of us elves in our withdrawal, even some paladins. And you know what the twist is? I get to see that elf again in the future as part of the scheme. Because you see, I do believe watching my family, mainly my nephews and nieces suffer like animals drove me desperate. After all, how was I supposed to say no to the offer of a chance to heal them from a Pit Lord. So I played along with his scheme to try and resurrect himself when that pretty little priestess fell in love with a human knight in shiny armor. And in return, my family died, all fifteen of them."

He got up from his seat and crossed his arms behind his back.

"So you're doing this for Vengeance?" she asked.

"They said dealing with demons was bad enough, but I did without hesitation. Why you may ask, power, I wanted more power. But unlike my lord Lazarus who wants power to bring peace to this fucked up world we all live. "

He turned around to look at her, her hand already healed from using her Holy Magic.

"But I wanted power for the sake of making the Pit Lord who ruined me to suffer more. Revenge felt good to watch his plans fall apart all around him. But I want to see him truly in anguish. I want to make him fall to his knees and beg for mercy as I smirk in his face and tell him exactly what he told me as he took the only people I cared for away. Nothing personal, it's just pleasure." he continued. "I will see him squirm and beg at my feet as I take everything from him exactly how he took everything from me. And with Lazarus help, I will see it happen and get to enjoy every single moment of his suffering."

A knock on the door got the warlock and Priestess attention. Turning towards the door they see few cultists enter.

"We have an intruder approaching close to the opening of the mines." the reported.

The blood elf smiled. "Just at the right place at the right moment." He said as he stood up. "Well, the human clearly has the determination to save you, and could probably have the mentality to trade his life for you. But we all know that wouldn't happen." The blood elf walked out.

"What are you going to do to him?!" Alura shouted.

He shrugged. "Just don't worry. The human is more capable than you know of." He left, proceeding to confront the human.

* * *

Larkon now stood outside of the entrance that lead to the Deadmines, the former base of operations to the Defias brotherhood.I Or that's what he thought it had been. Just like any other mine this was no different, except this mine was crawling with dangers that he wouldn't be going in to. But Alura is inside, that's the only thing he needs to know to let those dangers be on the back of his mind immediately.

Larkon looked at the entrance, and see that a violet glow began to appear. Getting bigger and bigger as it passes on till finally the portal was as tall as a man, and appears a familiar face from the portal. The same blood elf that bludgeoned him. "So, what's the agreement? A Sword for a sword, and who wins gets to have what he wants. You know what I want." Larkon began.

Kreus laughed at his statement. "Oh heavens no you lowly poor bastard. I'm just saying your presence here ruins her."

"Like I give a damn what you think. So how do you want to do this. Get your ass kicked out here or inside, your call." Larkon threatened.

Larkon was rattled when a group of cultist began to appear from the entrance and door and began planting a knob like appendage on the ground. He burst in panic and ran towards them to strike them down, but the blood elf summoned a fel rock formation to stop his place.

"Oooh, don't worry about that now Sergeant. That's just observer wards so that the audience inside can watch this. Even the draenei would be part of that audience, she's counting on you…" He chuckled, before his expression began to turn dark. "So come forth and let the fight be seen, and see who is the better man." His hands began to glow as he immediately summoned a row of fel hounds.

One of the felhunters ran up to pounce on him, yet Larkon immediately and effortlessly dodged to his side and kicked the fel hound to where it landed and toppled it across the field. "I've fought some of these demons in skirmishes. So don't think I'm not familiar on how to deal with them." advised the warrior.

"I'm not surprised considering that desperate stunt you did in our last battle. Speaking of which, how's the hand doing?"

The human just lifted his left hand. The fingerless gauntlet he wore over the bandages that covered his entire hand and forearm only showed the three fingers and thumb he had with his missing ring finger.

"Ouch, I bet that must've hurt." Kreus smirked.

"Yeah it did, and the ring finger doesn't count." Larkon sarcastically added without care as he focused on the coming battle. "Not that you know of." He waited for his reply as he looked at the blood elf. Wondering if Alura really is watching, judging by the wards that they had put. Because he doesn't want Alura to see what his nature when a fight commence.

"As curious I am to know how you lost your ring finger, I imagine you didn't come all this way just to tell me the story."

"I came all the way here for Alura. So how do you want to finish this, out here or in the mines, I don't give a damn."

"Tsk tsk tsk. If only you know what you know. I'm sure that you would be afraid knowing her current condition." Kreus said, though as he stated he never really have known.

It got the warriors brows raising. "Condition?"

"You didn't know? Oh how marvelous." Laughed the warlock. "It's a very, very, very teensie teensie secret." The blood elf was gesturing with his hands towards the warrior, his lips curled to a smile.

The Warlock felt a powerful hand grip him by the shoulder as he soon came face to face with the human's enraged face. "What the hell did you do to her?!" he demanded in a serious loud tone that would've scared even the most dangerous demon.

Yet this only served to make the Warlock's smirk grow, watching the human's temper grow, knowing the human knew nothing only increased the enjoyment to him. "Very well…" Kreus spoke before he slapped Larkon's hand away and kicked him away a few feet. "But first you're going to have to try and beat it out of me, and this time, you will not be so lucky…"

With a snap of his fingers he summoned what appeared to be a demonic staff like weapon with two separate diamond-shaped blades from both its ends. "So, let's dance. And this time, some friends wants to play also." He laughed as the ground shook and the sand recedes from the surface to reveal that demonic circles were already made for him to summon, and with the few words from Eredun, two doom guards began to surface from the summoning circle.

"Damn it…" Larkon muttered as he ran behind a rock.

"Come on, the last time it was you who was on the offensive. Come on….who's the better man, you or me, elves or humans." The warlock mocked.

Larkon looked up above as if he wants to say something, but yet he narrowed his eyes as he looked at his sword as he whispered. "Come on captain, you would've saved me from this. But for now I'm on my own…." He said as he turned a blind eye and faced them.


	46. See through my Guilt

_The two watched her play, chasing the butterfly around the field as they watched from a short distance. Their lives as peaceful as ever, as if nothing would ever be done to hurt them. And they had the right to think so. It is all over now, no need to haunt each other at the thoughts that someday or someway either of them would be heart._

 _That's what herself used to think. But now they just sat there, her smaller frame wrapped around his bigger ones as they watched the product of their love, so innocent and so beautiful. "She's growing you know? She's growing to be a very beautiful woman when her time comes." She muttered, her eyes was free to wonder. "You know, sometimes I don't like to think of it. Where she grows and you become older….sometimes I just want it to be the way things are."_

 _She felt his arms wrap around her even tighter. "Are you afraid Alura?" He asked._

 _"Afraid of what?" Mumbles her reply._

 _"Me leaving before you?"_

 _She nodded. "In a way I am. I don't know what to face when you are...well, when nature takes it course."_

 _"But are you happy?" He asked._

 _"So very much…." With her answer, she felt him wrap even harder, yet it felt so gentle._

 _"Do you remember what I said? You said to me that, it was the most helpful quote from me."_

 _"I don't...I'm sorry."_

 _"Well, I just want to tell you once more." He let his breath fell to her ears. "I would die, you would die, and Theia would do. When that time comes, remember what life is, not what death is. So I just want to say to you Alura, don't worry about my death, worry about my life, take charge of my life and make that short span count as long as it lasts…."_

 _Alura smiled. "I remember now."_

"In the meantime I'm more concerned of maybe hiring Thark as a bodyguard to help me keep the young boys from chasing Theia or flirting with her." he smiled with a soft chuckle.

 _The draenei smiled. "Larkon, she's four years old. Let her play with the other boys and girls."_

 _"I know, but she looks so much like you. All the more reason to fear of young little boys wanting to...I don't know what can I say she's my daughter and she's as beautiful as her mother." he smiled._

 _"You know Larkon, I will always love you forever and ever." She kissed him._

* * *

She awoke from her dream at feeling of her body rejuvenated from getting the rest it needs. Dressed only in a nightingale in the bed she was sleeping in. She sat up and laid her back on the soft pillow. Placing her hands on her tummy once more to rub and feel around it. Now becoming more accustomed and desire in doing so. Almost like a habit in a way.

Her hands gently touched the tiny bump in her stomach. It has been a month since then and it is beginning to show. Though just a very small bump, yet it was enough to be seen by the naked eye. Just at the sight of it made a surge in Alura's desire for motherhood. At first when she heard the news, she was dreadfully afraid, but now that as a bit of time passed, it doesn't seem that way no longer.

"You're so lively, Theia was it? Yes, I think...no, I know you would be a very beautiful girl when you grow up. You are a product of sweet love, though it was unplanned, still, your daddy and mommy loves you both, and nothing would make me hurt you in any way possible." Whispered the young mother, rubbing it with her hand.

Before long she felt a deep shiver in the air, more so than usual in the room. The atmosphere felt more chilling, forcing her to cover tummy up with her blankets and shiver in cold as she could see her breath fog. Turning her attention to the cell door of her room she saw Lazarus standing there calmly.

For a minute she questioned why he was there until he walked over and sat a cup of water on her night stand. "This should help with the pains." he spoke quietly.

She wasn't sure how to answer let alone question what the death knight was doing. Still she reluctantly accepted the cup and took a small sip. "It doesn't hurt anymore now that I am passed the first three weeks." She said.

"Oh? Then you must be lively now, especially the child inside…." The death knight touched her shoulder, and in response the draenei pulled away in disgust.

"Don't touch me. Just leave me be and let me have my motherly affection to my child, alone." She muttered.

The death knight chuckled. "So, I guess I'll leave you alone for a bit, so that I may watch how the father will fight a life and death battle against the elf. It seems far more interesting." He turned around.

"Wait what?!" she demanded.

Lazarus only ignored her and walked his way towards the door. The Draenei had other plans as she hopped off of her bed and stomped her way over towards the door and stands in front of the Death Knight.

"Peaked your interest haven't I?"

"The warlock never mentioned that he'll kill him! He said that he would just….oh no." Alura began to breathe heavily in effort to calm herself down, but the thoughts of him out there fighting for her against an already determined winner was beginning to shock her. "Calm down Alura, don't stress, don't stress, for the baby, for the baby." She muttered under her breath.

"Kreus was quite bent on getting payback on this human after his defeat the last time." Lazarus spoke calmly, his arms crossed behind him.

"Then you must stop him, if he listens to you then please stop him!" Alura shouted, she was trying to be calm but the words of thee Death Knight was overpowering her will.

"I could but at the moment there are things I must attend to please if you excuse me if I recall you wanted some alone time so good day mrs." he bowed head politely and proceeded to gently move her aside to get to the door. "But I'll give you a treat as a gift for the young mother." He began to glow his hands as an Ice wall appeared on, with a very transparent middle area. "You'll get to see him fight, the wards had been attached all over the perimeters. So enjoy the show, you'll be in the first row."

* * *

"Ah fuck me." he cursed behind the rocky wall he took cover behind, already can feel the force of the doom guard's powerful magic blasting to fish him out.

"I take it they never did teach you how to deal with doom guards didn't they?!" Kreus yelled in hysterical excitement.

BOOM! Larkon heard the explosions behind the rock, just shielding himself away by the large boulder. BOOM! He slowly turned his head to look over and see the demon raising his arms up to cast a fireball, before quickly hiding it back to narrowly dodge it. BOOM! "One second, one second, alright, alright, one second to open up…" He thought, till the next explosions gives him an idea when a large rock the size of a fist came to his feet.

Acting fast and quick, he grabbed the fist size rock and throwing it straight to one of the doom guard's face. Effectively breaking the demon's nose on impact.

The doom guard let out a loud roar of pain but mostly anger and furious rage towards the human that just broke his nose with a rock. A sword flying towards its head ends its life as it slumped to the ground before the magic dissipates the dead demon away.

"Smart, smart, yet you're unarmed now." The Blood elf reminded as his eyes set on the human who once again hid behind a boulder.

The warlock was right, he knew that if he rushed out there now he would be doomed from the hands or magic from the last remaining doomguard or the blood elf himself. He peaked his head once more to his side and saw that the doomguard were hurling the same set of fireballs once more and hypothesized that he could run off if he hits it with the rock and retrieve the sword swiftly. "Yes, that would be a good idea." He told himself as he picked up a rock. BOOM! He heard the explosion and opens himself up. But he did not expect a large hand grabbing hold of his foreleg and throw him across the field.

The blood elf revealed his burning hand to reveal that it was him who caused the explosion. "That was me, I ordered the demon to anticipate you. It was easy to read what you will do after the first try." The elf said arrogantly.

The Doom guard lifted his hand to cast another ball of fel fire to throw towards the human warrior. Only missing him by mere inches by just moving away in the nick of time. Yet the force of the explosion from such a powerful blast threw him into a heavy rock formation. He rolled over, realizing that the sword was right behind him, but just as he picked it up, Kreus suddenly lunged in and smacked his abdomen along with the burst of flames at the end of it that sends him flying across.

Larkon stood up, yet he could clearly feel the pain in his stomach, and the stinging pain from the burn. It wasn't much of a damage but it did clearly hurt.

He suddenly turned up and saw the doom guard atop of the rock formation before jumping down below, almost crushing him, but thanks to his quick wits he rolled away from it and deliver a quick slash on the face to buy enough time to get away from it.

"My how the tables have turned since our last fight." Kreus acknowledged as he closed in at Larkon. He knew the human was outgunned in every way possible be it fighting close or long range.

"Yeah, I don't care." Larkon replied as he ran towards him, eager to fight back, but a fireball from behind toppled him across as he forgot about that the doom guard was still part of the game.

"Then you must really not care much for them don't you?" Kreus' smirk grew ever more.

"Them? I'm only here for one person!" Larkon yelled back, rolling away from a slammed fist from the Doom guard. But just as he was about to get up the doom guard grabbed his leg once again and toppled him against a rock formation. This time he could just feel and hear how his bones broke against the harder surface as he layed there breathing heavily.

"Well I guess there isn't much to continue." The blood elf told.

"Why don't quite hiding behind your doomguard and face me one on one!" the Warlock called to him that apparently struck a nerve in the Warlock's mind but he warlock smiled.

"If you want to back that up then stand up." Kreus said.

And just like that Larkon knew there was nothing else to give. His leg was broken coupled with the force he felt in his body after he got hit against the rock formation. He just couldn't stand up to fight anymore, as much as he NEEDED to, to save Alura.

"Just like I said, nothing much to continue." Kreus walked over to the human's sword and kicked it towards him. "But if you're so eager to continue then I'll be happy to oblige to finish what's left."

Larkon looked at the warlock as he reached for his sword painfully. But a boot came to crush his hand.

"But that's not what I like. I won, you lose. I'll let your sweet, sweet, draenei see front row when I summon some hounds to eat you." He looked at the wards to emphasize clearly.

That was when they began to feel the air become freezing cold for some reason. So cold that it made them as well as the doom guard shiver.

Larkon felt dark. The cold, felt so very familiar, somewhat he felt that he already have felt this cold once. It had to be, ten months before, when he and the captain…. "No, he-" He felt a powerful clawed hand on his head, and before then, strong surge of weight suddenly was applied that caused his head to face the ground. Blood began to ooze on his forehead and soon on it was all over his face.

"So this is the human…." Lazarus said as let's go and let the human crumble in pain on the ground. "Have your pet's drag him back to the fortress."

"As you wish my lord." Larkon heard the blood elf speak before everything went dark.

* * *

"Have the elements shown you anymore visions?" Urak asked his step daughter. For the time being they were allowed to walk around the city of Stormwind without much harassment. But clearly the people are looking at them with caution, especially with the events surrounding politics that needed for him to stay in Stormwind.

"They haven't. Just letting the clouds breeze my fur is their response. I can't read any of it." The tauren said, standing tall over the crowds, even towering over the draenei's, while Urak, a big orc himself was still but a head shorter compared to his adopted daughter.

"Ah. So, there are probably more things it would reveal. I haven't been meditating for something since I was your age Serga. Too busy surviving in some wars that needed to be fought." He chuckled as they turned to the barracks. "Alright, the Archmage told me that a captain would meet me." He said.

Serga's attention was soon drawn at the tugging of of her robes. Turning down she saw a cute little night elven girl probably six years of age looking up to the Shaman with wide silver eyes. Serga smiled at such a small and adorable thing. Kneeling down to come face to face with the little kid with a soft smile on her face.

"Greetings little one." Serga spoke softly.

The girl tilted her head as her eyes stared at hers with wide curiosity. "Wow what are you? You look like a cow! A beautiful cow!" The girl exclaimed.

That earned a soft chuckle from the Shaman. "Yes you could say I am one, but I think you for your curiosity and passion little one. I am Tauren, one born of the Bloodhoof tribe….."

"Oooooh I heard of Taurens! Daddy said that Cairne is a biiiiiiig tauren, bigger than you fought with him in his stories!" Chimed the small child.

"Annelia there you are! I have been looking for you!" A feminine voice entered.

The child's mother soon approached, a female night elf with silver white hair, rushed up to her young daughter. With her, the child's identical twin sister that look almost exactly like the child.

"It is alright, the child was curious of one such as different as I am." Serga calmly spoke with a soft smile.

The mother smiled, the tauren already noticed that the elf is a forgiving gentle person. "Yes, she really has the mark of her parents. And it almost gave me a heart attack when I didn't see her at my side." The mother joked. "But I welcome your people here in the city. I know that our people worked together four thousands of years, even before the war. We have great respect for your kind."

Serga stood back on her hooves and bowed respectfully to the night elven woman. "As well as I."

"Serga, the captain's here!" Urak called over her shoulder.

"My apologies for I must take my leave, you bless us with your respectful and generosity." Serga bowed once more before taking her leave to meet with the Orc and human captain.

Urak immediately noticed a small band, consisting of a human as tall as him if not taller, a dwarf, and a worgen who is turning into a human. A draenei priestess that seemed to have an aura of maturity, a night elf with her feline swelled in the midsection of her stomach, a pandaren who trailed behind them while writing a paper, and a gnome who was muttering about the panda. An odd group for the Archmage who ordered him to meet.

"I take it you are the Orc known as Urak?" the human captain requested.

"Correct, I am Urak of the Frostwolf Tribe. With me my adopted daughter Serga of the Bloodhoof tribe. We wer-"

"Serga is that you?!" questioned the Worgen Druid.

"Kinar?" Serga asked, now recognizing the group as the ones that had aided her during the battle at the dark portal.

"Aye ye be a sight for sore eyes Ms. Shaman. We be in a mess now and days but it be great to be seeing ya again!" Thark walked over and shook Serga's hand.

Needless to say, the Orc was a bit surprised seeing and hearing all of this. "Wait, Serga, you know this group?"

"Yes, this is the same group I came in with and fought with in draenor when we looked for a human." Serga replied before noticing that a certain someone wasn't there. "Wait, where is Alura? I heard a paper that Alura was safely returned by the dwarf when I travelled. The draenei here can't be Alura. It's just one year, she can't be maturing that fast!" The tauren joked.

"That I'm afraid Serga is the issue. Alura was the Draenei that was taken from Stormwind." Finan gestured.

"I am Anchorite Averia of Exador. I'm her mother." the older Draenei spoke.

The tauren's expression immediately changed. "Oh….I'm sorry, I didn't know. What happened after? I still remembered Alura chasing for the human friend that she had been telling me. Did she ever find him?"

Kinar walked forward to speak. "Yes, they were here with each other briefly, but then this happened."

"So you're the Orc Khadgar sent to us. Allow me to introduce myself I am Finan, retired Archmage of the Kirin Tor and current head herbalist to the royal family of Stormwind." Finan introduced himself. "With me is Thark, the smartass dwarf who will get you shot whenever you go with him."

"HEY!"

"Ignoring him we have Kinar my apprentice and a druid, Flyrae a former sentinel of Darnassus, and a Pandaren monk from the Shado-pan blackguard named Quon."

Quon who had been writing allot in his book the entire time, approached the Orc Urak and bowed politely. "Though we hide our stories our bodies tell them without our words."

"What?" was all Urak could ask.

"Yeah I don't think anyone can understand a damn word he says." The gnome says before adding in to begin. "Vindicator Joven told us that veteran help would arrive and Thrall's prodige would be it along with a veteran warrior. While the Vindicator consult the SI:7 to form a team to find the draenei."

"So, what are we to do?" the orc asked.

"For the meantime we have to wait on their decision and stuff. Best settle down and get to know one another as we be stuck with each other for the time being." Thark mentioned as he motioned for the two horde members to follow him and the rest of their group to his inn.

As they walked, something kept itching at the back of the Orc's mind. They mentioned a human who Serga spoke was the reason why this Draenei Priestess and her friends were looking for. Then he remembered the words his friend from the Gladiator pits spoke of returning to. He had to ask.

"If I may, this human that this Draenei was looking for, was his name by chance Larkon?" Urak asked.

That actually caused everyone to stop and turn to look at him. "What?" he asked.

"How do you know Larkon?" Kinar asked suddenly surprised as everyone that Urak would know Larkon's name.

"We fought and bled together in the pits of slavery within the walls of the Gladiator. We were captured and sold together where we fought alongside one another and earned our freedom." Urak answered. "He always mentioned about a draenei he promised to return to. I assumed that draenei was the one you mentioned." He told.

"Gladiator? Slavery? What in the bronzebeard's blazes had the lad been to? Why didn't he tell me anything?!" The dwarf exclaimed in somewhat of mixture of anger and sadness.

Urak was silent for a moment, remembering the change of character the human had took during the course of their many fights. Most well-known when he remembered how Larkon fought savagely in their last fight together. Almost looking like he was enjoying it, and showing no mercy to the defeated orc who just wanted to get back to his family. With a soft sigh Urak continued. "It's best to talk about such a story in private away from the public. There was allot we had to do that will forever haunt our dreams and fuel our nightmares."

"Enough about your personal lives. How about it gentleman, would you help us in pursuit for my daughter? I would be of great thankfulness knowing that my daughter is with child, and would need every capable help needed." The draenei finally speaked in.

As everyone was agreeing to the request of Priestess Averia. Urak smiled a little when he heard what the draenei spoke. Remembering the last thing he told Larkon. "I expect a child to come out soon."

* * *

He didn't know how long he was passed out once again. Only it was the deep cold shiver of the frost temperature air that woke him up. As well the sound of something breathing into his face that felt like the coldest of wind being blown in his face.

Slowly opening his eyes with foggy vision, this time it did not take long for his vision to come back as he soon found himself staring face to face with what appeared to be a frost wyrm. An undead dragon known for being the most fearsome of creatures brought back into the form of a terrifying creature that put the stuff of nightmares to shame.

He felt dragged out, his body felt so heavy as he stared up in the wall when the frost wyrm decided to leave him be. He doesn't know where he is as he could feel something sticking in his face, to which he realized it was dried up blood that oozed out from his forehead. He tried to stand up but was met with a very deep stinging pain on his leg. He looked on it to see that his foreleg was broken to the point that some of the bone protrude to the skin.

His squinted in pain as he grit his teeth. His hand putting pressure on the bone against the skin as he tried to push it back into place. "Ghrrrrrrrrr…..*crack" He screamed in agony as he felt the bone went back into place. His rolled around, his face digging against the floor as his hand was on his leg trying to ease the impossible agonizing pain away.

"Very clever of you." he heard a dark echoing voice call to him. His eyes shot open in fear as he felt the same dark terrifying chill creep down his spine.

Turning his head he saw him, the very death knight that was the source of his most horrifying nightmares. The one he wished he never encountered those many months ago. The one who scared him with fear so great that all pain faded because of it being replaced with fear.

Calmly the Death Knight walked towards him. He still had his full face helmet on as well as his hood but Larkon knew what a terrifying image that was hidden behind all of that. The way his cold blue aura glowing eyes stared at him with a fighting death glare that it felt like he was staring right into his soul.

With just a soft gentle flick of his wrist he picked the warrior up with his death magic and held him in a powerful cold grip in the air. "So this is the thorn that had been plaguing my plans." He dropped him from the air.

Larkon screamed when a crack was heard. His leg was the first to land on the ground and in result the force broken it again, this time the bone had pierced through his skin, now exposed by the cold air. "Damn it, damn It, damn it!" He groaned in pain as he rolled around, clutching his left leg.

"A thorn that irritated me to no end." He lifted him up once more in the air, and let him fall down again. This time just as he falls down a ball of ice suddenly hit him in the stomach, tossing him against the wall.

Blood oozed from his nose and mouth as the death knight approached him, putting a boot on his broken leg. "I'll-"

A knock from behind was heard. Turning his head gently around he saw the Warlock Blood Elf enter.

"What is it?" Lazarus asked.

"My lord, the draenei is threatening us with suicide. She assumed the human was dead because she watched the event, and had used a kitchen knife to place it in her heart. She said that she would foil our plans so that us monsters would not do anymore harm." The blood elf replied before adding. "The tauren is there along with her, perhaps you should speak with her."

A growl of irritation as well as the sudden change of colors on his blue eyes changing from blue to red and then blue back again sent shivers down both the blood elf and human being.

"Fine…" he violently threw the human back to the ground. "Bring him along." he barked.

"Of course my lord." snapping his fingers, Kreus summoned a void walker to appear and drag Larkon with him.

"You're all monsters! Monsters!" Shouted Alura as her hand bore a knife placing it closely to her chest. Her eyes were streaming in tears clearly that it drenched her face. Her teeth were grit as she looked at the cultists, the troll, goblin, and the tauren with great anger. "You're all monsters! It's better for me to die than to be used as experiments! Murderers! You will all be judged by the light itself!" Her hand began to put pressure on the knife as the tip began to prick her skin, causing the smallest trick of blood began to slither out.

"Can't you just sneak over and steal the knife Kor?" Serid whispered.

"Yeah mon but dat thing be too close fer comfort. Could risk hurting her or worse." the troll whispered back.

"We cannot afford to lose her. She is too perfect of a specimen. We will never find anyone else as purse and as perfect as she is." Dr. Jiink whispered.

The sound of a loud door slamming alerted everyone. Heavy metal steps were heard storming their way into the room as Lazarus entered the room. His eyes glowing in a brighter aura of blue in anger.

"Monsters! All of you, every last one! I won't let you use me for some ritual to plague Azeroth with even more devils! I will not!" she threatened noticing the Death Knight enter the room.

Yet the Death Knight was in no mood to hear any of it. With just a jerk of one hand he telekinetically threw the knife out of her hands to fly into a nearby wall. And with the same hand he magically jerked her to fly into his frozen razor sharp grip to grab her by the collar of her robes.

"'I've had enough of this melodramatic act." The death knight said as he faced the crying draenei. Her eyes so filled with tears, yet her face were in the expression of sheer anger and animosity towards him. He traced no fear in her eyes, just sheer defiance and anger. "You're a selfish woman, even to the point to commit a permanent act at the cost of your child."

"What is selfishness when I would die before she would be even born? What is there to protect for me when I know I have no power to protect anything to monster like you?! What is there left for me to live other than to wait for my death!" She spat back.

Enraged yet careful, he threw her to the bed. "Your selfishness would come from denying your child a chance to be born. This ritual is not meant for just you. Anyone can be used for this ritual. The only reason why I need you is because you are a perfect pure soul for it and it would take longer to find a replacement. But the next time you want to act like a child know that your death will not slow me down or accomplish anything except putting someone else in your shoes." He lectured her before continuing. "And besides, he's not dead, not yet at least."

True to his word, Kreus entered with his void walker dragging Larkon into the room to throw right in front of her. "There, enjoy the meat. I had healed his broken leg for you. Now care for the dirt." Lazarus said with clear irritation in his tone as he gestured for others to get out of the room. Taking the knife with him as he left.

"Larkon!" Alura suddenly kneeled in front of him without hesitation, letting her hands glow as it landed on his forehead.

He did not move at first. He as breathing as signs that he was alive. Yet he was not moving as much as the pain and agony from everything had took another toll on him. Still when he felt the pain and agony be relieved from her magic he felt himself slowly waking up.

"I'm sorry Alura. I'm sorry, please I'm so sorry, forgive me…." He suddenly apologizes from the moment he opened his lips. His guilt of failure or whatever that maybe took him knowing that it's his own fault for failing to help her.

She didn't care about any of that. Instead she reached over and pressed her lips onto his. Bringing him into one of the deepest kiss she could muster. Her body and mind just wrecked with relief yet grief. Her eyes never stop staring to his as she rocked herself to him, her body holding him close as her heart wrenched in want. As her belief that she lost him forever had been lost in her mind, so is her belief and fact that he is with her now pierced her heart like an arrow through flesh. As her eyes shed tears not of sadness but pure happiness that he is with her now.

"Larkon…." She mumbled, holding her own cries down in her lungs. Just as she felt the most beautiful forms of relief, so does she felt the most hideous forms of disgust to her own self when she almost took her own life and the life of her child. "I'm sorry Larkon, I'm so sorry. I am so selfish."

"What?" he asked confusingly. His body still aching and sore from his fight that he cringed when he tried sitting on and lay back on her bed.

"I'm so stupid...I...oh by the Light what have I almost done?" she cried, her body shaking from the mere thought of what she almost did.

"Alura….my body…" Larkon cringed again, but he raised his body and breathed in slowly to relax as he sat up and looked at her with concern. "Alura, please, tell me. What is wrong? Had they done something horrible to you?" He asked, looking at closely in the eyes as he caressed her cheek.

She shook her head. "I'm afraid to tell you Larkon...I'm so afraid that you might-"

"I will never, ever and I mean ever hurt you Alura, no matter what the circumstances. No matter what the reason, I will never ever hurt you." He assured to her. "Now please tell me Alura, what's wrong…...did they..."

"No they did not. They had treated me well, luxuriously even." She said before finally putting her hands on the shoulders of her dress before gently pulling it down, revealing what she meant with the tiny barely noticeable bump in her former flat belly. "I'm with child Larkon. You're seed bore me new life…." She reluctantly replied.

The look of his face was of disbelief yet at the same time in absolute confusion. It couldn't be, how could it have happened? They only had some nights with one another but they had took precautions for every one of them except for only the first time. That was when it hit him, he had never thought of the consequences of their actions for his assumption. This started feeling like a dream that was too real for comfort. He had to know, so he reached a hand over to her tummy. Very gently and softly he placed it onto her stomach. This was no dream he was witnessing, this was as real as life could be.

"Larkon, I'm sorry that-" Her lips were interrupted by a kiss.

"Don't be sorry, I will protect you and the baby. I will never stop protecting you and it." He said with a raised voice.

"She." The draenei corrected. "It's a girl Larkon."

"Hu? A girl?" he asked somewhat confused on how she would know the gender already if it had barely started forming right now. "I...it's a girl but I thought draenei were hard to-"

"We draenei are very fertile in the span of one day till a week Larkon in every two months. I guess, you got me in that time…."Alura explained.

Then Larkon smiled. He had to say a secret that he had Jorden kept from her. "Hey Alura, did you remember when I was injured by my punishment, you suddenly came in the room while hearing about a colleague's baby?" He asked.

"Oh yes, I think I remember. He was mentioning something about someone putting a baby in a woman's belly." she answered.

He then chuckled. "I know it is a bit vulgar and inappropriate but he meant that for me to do that to you...though I never thought that it could happen and I never planned it when he said it to me."

Alura laughed herself. "He really asked that to you? Oh my...how awkward was that...yet for you Larkon...I guess that is the last order from the captain that you had completed." She said.

With a weak smile Larkon nodded, sitting up so that he would be comfortable and softly replied. "I'll protect you Alura, I finally got to be with you again and….I'll protect you along with her even if it kills me…"

"Please dont say that…" she cuddled up closed to him, just wanting to hold him and be close with him. "Just...just stay with me please…"

He was silent for a long moment, just letting her cuddle up to him as she wanted. She still had a sad look on her face, her next words explaining why. "I...I almost killed her…" Alura told him, her eyes filled with guilt. "I'm so selfish…"

"You're not selfish Alura."

"But I am! The moment I saw you slumped outside while that demon drag you out I assumed already that the worst is going to happen! That you have been murdered, that I am next, that there's nothing for me!" She yelled. Before her eyes narrowed as she looked down on her chest, letting Larkon see what she almost did. "Look at this Larkon. I almost drove a blade in my heart because I couldn't handle it. That I can't stand the pain! And in result I almost killed myself and I almost killed…..Theia." The tone of her voice was now soft.

"Theia?"

She nodded. "That's her name. It was in my dream."

"Then like we promise. Let's make that dream come true. You're not weak Alura. You're stronger than I am. You give me something to live with, that you made me see that I am not alone. That I have friends…..and not only that I have you….and her." He said before adding. "Whatever you did that almost took you away, I don't hate you for it. You were just caught off guard of your emotions. We make that dream come true Alura, for the three of us."

He placed a gentle hand on her tummy and softly rubbed it. "Let's make it a reality." he softly spoke to her.


	47. Two for Two

Fylrae pets Kuura softly, with her feline so close to giving birth, she had to have her under the care of the church. Her choice seemed to reflect on that Thark doesn't know what to do at those kind of situations, and with Averia's help they agreed to do so and she was grateful for it. Her, one of the minorities of elves that visit here in the church dominated by humans and draenei's, and then some high elf priest and priestesses and a widower. It was a diverse culture, yet their culture intertwines with one another for they have the same common purpose. Peace, and it bloomed so well.

Fylrae went on to Averia entering to a room for a high priest like hers. "Hi." Greeted the night elf.

Averia suddenly was a bit shocked even from the softest of greet. Fylrae could see some particles of waters in her eyes that indicated that she might have shed a tear for someone so obvious. And with the coffee beside her, it told her story that she was not enjoying the soft limelight of peace right now. "Oh, Fylrae please forgive, it's a little bit messy here in the table." She excused as she began organizing the papers around her, maps, documents, books.

Fylrae wanted to raise her concerns but she turned it down. "I just want to thank you for helping Kuura to stay in the church. I don't know what to do when she gives birth if she just stayed in Thark's inn beside me." She told.

Averia sniffled. It just showed that her shedding of tears was not just a soft cry. "Well I would do anything to young mothers. They bore the next generations. Kuura would be birthing the next generation. It would be selfish to abandon mothers who carried little ones." The draenei's tone and her choice of words already bells in who was in her thoughts.

Fylrae bit her lip and just went on to say her concerns. As she went on to her side, patting her shoulder. "I'm sorry for Alura. I know that you have some sleepless nights just to make sure that she is alright."

"It's alright Fylrae, it's normal for mothers to do that." She rubbed her eye. "But it's that….I'm not going to be just a mother, I'm going to be a grandmother. Alura already is two months in or close. The baby would not know me if we are too late…." She sniffled once more.

"We'll get them both back, you have my word on it, I promise. We all promise." the young huntress reassured. "I am probably never going to be a mother in any sense or form but I feel your pain. We all have it."

"Why would you not Fylrae?"

"I don't feel that it is my life. I feel I could mother children in an adoption center. I would gladly be their mother figure for when it is needed and I would do it not because they need to, because I want to. I just don't want to do it in traditional means. I'm fine with abstinence." Fylrae explained.

"I see, I understand how some would still stay with abstinence. But have you ever tried?"

"Nah, you should have seen the faces of the men that had courted me so many times. I turned them all down. I just have no interest. I'm what they call…..asexual? They said it defines a person having no interest in sexual relationships, and if that's what it is then I'm what they call." She said. "I'll just adopt. Sooner or later my days as an adventurer would be at an end. I know I'm going to see my brother again."

A random priest suddenly burst in the room. "Come quick and the companion of the feline, she's finally starting to have contractions! The feline is finally giving birth!" He quickly informed. "She's at the dorm of the priestesses, she's being attended by the others."

"Oh boy…" Averia mentioned. From her experiences, Frost Sabers could be quite cranky and territorial when it came down to wanting some privacy for birth and the protection of her cubs.

True to the older Draenei's thoughts. When they reached to the dorm they could here the feline roaring threateningly at anyone who came close to her. There was even a few people with claw marks on their clothing and most scared to come close.

"Fylrae don't come close!" Pleaded the draenei but she was ignored.

And just as expected the feline began to scour or lightly protest to her master flailing her paws just narrowly hitting her skin. But the elf was unfazed as she press the neck of the feline. "Shhhh, just relax, relax Kuura, just push." She said in her elven language of Darnassian.

Of course Kuura recognized her master who was her longtime friend and companion who had raised her from birth. Just as she was there at the moment of her birth, the Frostsaber knew she would be there for her at the moment of the birth of her own children.

Laying down and now calm, she was at least relaxed despite the pain as she was contempt to have her closest friend who they have formed one of the strongest bonds with over the course of their lives. She could not trust anyone else to be this close to her or trust her yet to be born cubs to.

Some groans and moans and a little bit of time was the needed things to do before the first cries of new life emerged. Two small felines, just like their mother majority of their coats are white as snow with black stripes, but some parts of their bodies have a shade of orange. Fylrae could guess now the image of their father.

The now new mother of two softly licked the heads of her new cubs. Welcoming them into this world. She even reached over and licked her master's cheek. Silently thanking her for always being there for her and being there now for her children.

"So beautiful." Averia commented.

"A boy and girl...as beautiful as their mother…" Flyrae softly spoke. Gently petting the two small cubs who had yet to even open their eyes. Yet they did not shy away from the affection from their mother's master and even tried licking the night elf's fingers. "Now let's put them beside their mums. I bet they're hungry." Fylrae said as she laid them next to the feline, and with that said the felines immediately were searching for source of their mother's milk and once found they began to suckle on.

"Well what would their names would be?" Averia asked.

She shook her head. "I feel like I would let their names be revealed when someone would be their masters, just like what I did to Kuura."

"If I may ask, is that Night Elven tradition? I know that Frost Sabers are known to forge lifelong bonds with their masters just as Kuura has with you."

"It's more of nature than tradition."

"I understand, and how do you feel ms. Kuura?" Averia asked petting the striped frostsaber behind her ears softly.

The feline purred as it closed her eyes and felt relax.

"I guess she loves the moment."

* * *

 _A volume of dread and destruction surrounded her. What was the once fair farm that they shared is just now but a desolate plain surrounded by burning bushels of dried wheat that they were suppose to sew together. Now all of that rests as she, and the child, her child, just only hers and no one more stood before the burning plains. Oh how she repeatedly burned everything in her wake, but she didn't leave the place. She didn't leave the place of the memories that she considered an abomination to her. Deep inside she didn't want to._

 _Her red eyes looked down onto the once pure child. Ever since she corrupted her, the child was unresponsive. She spoke no words, her face did not show any emotions. Just truly a silent face which did not show any sense of emotion that echoed a thousand words. No matter how corrupting her power is, it did not take away the child's innocence it only took the child's mind and it was no longer her. It said the words of what a child would say "I love you mommy." Before finally snuffing her out, leaving a corrupted unresponsive flesh as the person inside of her left._

 _The once loving mother looked at the shack, now lying in ashes. She walked towards it, dragging along the shell of the child. Walking and looking like what a normal mother and daughter would be._

 _The former draenei scanned its ashes, finding the burned corpse of the person, whom she considered in her past life the core of it. Just sealed under the rubble, but with the use of her powers, all of the rubble that rested on the corpse was put aside. Leaving her with the image. Somehow she clenched her hand tightly around the small hand of the shell of her once child. Deep inside no matter how she tried 'the person' still remained inside of her._

 _She used whatever powers she had as she let the corpse be lifted up in the air to face him. Using whatever necromantic or demonic magic to let the corpse walk once more, controlled by her, as she tooked the brittle hand of the corpse and commanded it to walk beside her. She wants to lash out in anger to herself, to know how weak she is that she is letting 'the person' inside of herself to take over, and to control her to have this sentimentality of love. LOVE towards the people she destroyed, the people that her past life she cherished so much. Now they are gone, nothing but corpses that walked ontwo legs. Her corruption had 'killed' the 'person inside' the child, but not the body itself. And she had brutally and ruthlessly killed the father, but now she walked with his burnt corpse, as if to fill something in the void inside her chest._

 _Now, anger boiled inside of her. Sheer unrelenting anger travelled up inside of her, demanding her to be released, to let her now what she have done. What did she have done?! All the murdered people in her hands were nothing but a temporary satisfaction, but it did not deter the fraction of the deep longing she wanted. That deep longing and love that she ONCE had, but she destroyed ALL of it, leaving her all alone now to suffer._

 _"You nondegenerate fool…." She told herself. No, she told HERSELF, that she is a fool, that she is just a tool, who was used to remove all the people that mattered to her. Even if she was not in control at first, she could have fought back, but she didn't. Now that she fought back 'the person' inside of her took over and she had realized that what she wanted was all but destroyed, eradicated, annihilated by her own power._

 _The green flames began to surround her. Her magic, protecting the corpses beside her from the fire, but anything else is burned to a cinder as she realized and she realized it so deeply, that the anger filled her to full capacity and more._

 _"YOU STUPID FOOL!" She shouted as she screamed her lungs, looking at the heavens as she unleashed the storm of her power._

"ALURA WAKE UP!"

Her eyes bolted open wide, her body drenched from head to hoof in heavy sweat that soaked the bed she rested in. The labored breathing was still present in her as she looked at him, he himself were scared for her as she had another outburst. She had to be calm she _needs_ to, for her health and for the health of her unborn child.

"Shhh, you're okay, you're okay. Another nightmare?" He asked as he leaned, hugging her close against his naked body.

She nodded. "Yes….just a nightmare." She told.

"This is your fifth….you never told me about it Alura. Do you want to tell it to me?"

"I don't want to talk about it please." she snuggled her also naked body close to his and held him close. "I just...just don't want to even think about it."

He placed a muscular arm around her and held her close. He had no clue what these nightmares were but he understood her reasons for not wanting to talk about them.

"How do you usually deal with nightmares?" she asked tightening her hold on him but only gently.

"To be honest I'm still haunted by them even if you don't see them from me. Now more than ever that I've seen the Death Knight again."

"Wait, you know that Death Knight?" she asked looking up to him.

"Not personally and I don't even think he even knows or cares to know who I am. But I remember him. I remember that face...that face that was the stuff of nightmares as he dug his teeth into the flesh of the one who raised me." He revealed. "He's the one who killed my captain Alura. And I can do nothing about, but just to remain hopeful about it." He said as he wrapped his arms around her even tighter, resting his chin on her shoulders. "We can go through with this, I promise you, we'll get out safely, have a small yet beautiful place to raise Theia."

Alura could almost hic when he said that. Those visions had shown too many horrors, and what's worse, she began to believe that it is real. "That's what I'm afraid of Larkon….."

Larkon looked at her with great concern as she said it. "What? I thought you said you want me and you to raise-" He was cut off.

"I am and it is the only thing I want. But something deep inside kept telling me that I can never have that. That I can never live that life with you, that something horrible will happen to you and Theia….because of me." She breathed softly, as she felt her heart began to rise up.

He was about to ask what did she mean until they heard a knock on their cell door. Without answering a familiar troll soon stepped in.

"Alright Mrs. sexy Maiden be Goblin doc want too…" Kor stopped when he saw larkon and finally recognized him as the guard he fought many months ago. "Ahhh shit...mon…"

In return Larkon recognized Kor as the Troll responsible for the mess up at the library that invoked the wrath of his son of a itch General. "You!"

"Hey mon there be no hard feelings about that time in de library right?" Kor gulped nervously.

Larkon feeling a little angry from that even got out of bed and stomped his way over to the rogue troll. "Your ass in mine!"

"Shit mon at least put some clothes on before coming over to try and kick me arse I be not wanting to be blind!" Kor looked away not really wanting to see a naked man stomping his way over to him as he closed the room immediately.

"You son of a bitch get back in here!" Larkon yelled, slamming a fist on the door.

"Hey mon me mother not be a bitch and it was just business mon! Dis death knight be scary as fock him and dat undead dragon pet mon! Even it wasn't buisness I ante have no choice in diss madder." The troll said before giving a warning. "Oh mon, you be wearin your clothes now mon, they be comin to check on ye. And don't be flippin mon, you be comin with her also." He said.

Larkon sighed as the last bit of his anger falls through as he walked towards his pants that they gave him. At least that the fiends inside the fortress were kind enough to supply them with such items.

"You know that troll?" Alura asked in slight surprise.

"Remember the day we first met, at the party at the King's palace. He was the intruder that popped out of nowhere and fucked up the Royal Library that I had to quietly report to Moira which would lead to Moira forcing Jorden to whip me I lost count how many times." He said before forecoming to a realization. "I see that every unusual event that I encountered in the library, draenor, and in the vale was planned for you Alura. I just got caught in it." He said before adding. "I've never been felt so relieved that I got myself caught in this trouble or else I would have never found you."

Alura finally dressed herself up and looked back to him who was now dressed the same. "I truly did wish that you will never get into trouble Larkon."

He smiled. "It's easy for us to say that Alura. But we never know the feelings of others truly. I had to not eat for two days till I finally had some place to stop by some food and water."

Members of the Twilight cult soon entered to take them away. "Alright, the Goblin doctor wants to see the Draenei, you on the other hand are just coming with us to be watched."

Larkon reluctantly nodded and went with the cultists as Alura was dragged away. He didn't concern for her safety for now because he knew that it wasn't time yet. They still have plenty of time left, but he was watching the blueprints as his eyes scanned the hallways. His eyes finally arrived at the gate entrance just as they turned in the opposite direction.

"Right, left, right right left." He reminded himself with the direction before remembering where they took Alura. "Left, left, right, left left."

"What are you mumbling about?" a human cultist slapped him on the back of the head. "Be quiet." The cultist said just as he was about to open the cage door. "You stay here and wait for the procedure to fini-" An elbow struck his nose before followed up with his head grabbed by strong hands and bashed against the wall, knocking him out.

Larkon grabbed the other cultists and did the same. Knocking them out fast before grabbing a large two handed sword from one of them knowing he might need it. Taking a crouched stance he tried to sneak down the hall they were just came from. Taking each step he remembered on where they were taking Alura.

He turned left just as he remembered and rushed into the door to where he thought Alura would be. But it wasn't her.

There stood the Death Knight showing his back to him, it's focus was on the frosted image of a Naga dancing in his hands with a human figure. "So, I figured you dared to pull this mishap."

He tried to remain silent, hoping the Death Knight was talking to someone else, as the Death Knight never turned his attention away from the frosted image dancing in his metal clawed hands.

Larkon took a step back but the door behind him suddenly was shut. "So you, you planned to save her and ended in the wrong direction." The death knight hypothesized before standing up and turning to facing him. Larkon never thought he was THAT tall, but it appears the death knight was taller than him, though Larkon could see his own muscles were bigger than the Death Knight's. At least to his knowledge as the Death Knight was covered from head to toe in his skeletal dragon themed armor with runes of death. "You've invoke your right for us to not execute you….for such mishap."

Gulping nervously he stood his ground despite his body disagreeing with him. Every fiber in his being feared this dark figure. Nightmares and gruesome flashbacks of his entire squad easily almost effortlessly beaten by this one person alone.

"Release Alura. I'll fight you for it." Larkon stuttered. He wasn't feeling any bravery rushing to his veins.

The death knight chuckled. "I agree, I'll fight you for it. I'll kill you and brutalize you before you die, but she can go free if you can…."

Larkon grit his teeth as he charged in, as if he was hoping that he could do it, but deep inside in his mind there was nothing in him that made him believe he can do it.

Their swords came into contact with each other, but the human's sword immediately shattered upon contact. His eyes were widened as he was shocked at the display.

Sharp claws suddenly grabbed his arm, causing his skin to rupture against the sharp metal. His eyes were in panic as an another metal arm coiled against his free hand. Larkon could feel a very sharp yet cold pain in his arm as the surface began to froze.

With a powerful yank Lazarus threw him to the other side of the room. Using his telekinesis powers to grab a nearby sword and toss it over to the human. Though purposely missing his head by a few very close mere inches.

Larkon felt the burn in his hands as he looked at it, looking all blue from the death knight freezing it to the point of breaking. But it was close, too close. Larkon picked up the sword and charged at him recklessly. He wasn't a reckless person, he was poised in battle but right now he was running his fight with fear as he missed his swing by a mile.

But then just as a he turned around, a sharp and all too painful sting was felt in his stomach. He looked down and see that it was from the clawed gauntlet that struck him. He was put to his knees as he cowered in pain in a fetal position.

"So I remembered you, draenor and those fools running around in the ruin." He said as he grabbed his head. "I know you'll want to avenge the men you fought with." He then lifted him up and used his supernatural strength to throw him through the door. "BUT YOU'LL BE JOINING THEM!"

He landed outside, gurgling in blood as he choked from it. Getting back up and picking the sword back up, he charge with a powerful swing. Yet the Death Knight blocked the swing with ease, using the human's momentum to throw him off balance for him to grab Larkon by the face and smash his head hard through the ground to leave cracks.

His face was all cut up from the impact of his clawed hand on his face while the back of his head began to paint the floor with a small pool of the blood. "Oh no, no, you aren't going to die bleeding." He said as he freezes the blood behind his head, locking up the wound.

He then taps his feet and pressed it against the wounded stomach. And then he pressed, hard.

Blood spurted from the human's mouth and nose, covering the lower portion of his neck, his cheeks, his mouth, everything as he left blooded. The death knight once again freezes the wound in the stomach to stop the bleeding.

"In a way I can't help but feel like that you remind me of myself back when I was alive…" The death knight told him before it suddenly felt cold around the human. "You know, my methods of killing weak people like you are to freeze their heads and smash it." The death knight freezed the floor as the human noticed that freezing ice was slowly approaching the side of his head.

Loud and crowded foot steps was heard rushing in. In a moment before delivering the final blow, he felt a powerful sting hit his arm. It's source a spell of holy light casted by his Draenei prisoner.

"What?!" he shouted.

The draenei suddenly rushed in and shielded the human slumped in the floor, wrapping her arms around his neck as she suddenly let out a loud sob. A very loud sob that begged him to not hurt him any longer, telling him that he suffered enough.

Enraged from being denied, he was about to slap her aside and kill in front to. Yet she slapped his metal clawed hand away. "I'll do it! I'll go along with it just please don't hurt him anymore he's suffered enough please! I'll do the ritual just please don't hurt him! I beg of you please!" Begged the draenei as she clutched him closer to her, unresponsive to her affections.

The death knight smiled under his helmet, seeing when he let his magic wane blood began to ooze out on his body once more in an alarming rate. "Have a treat child. Let him die, I'll accept your offer. Even though your offer is as worthless as you of helping him. Do you really think a mentally weak person like him would survive after this? He'll cut his own neck knowing you and your unborn child is dead. So whatever offer you've proposed I accept, even though it is as worthless as it is." He said before motioning to his other men. "Drag the dying wolf away from my sight, heal him if you can, but I prefer you would not." he turned his back on them.

"Were you always like this even when you were alive?!" She demanded. "You were a Paladin, a Knight of the Holy Light! How could you fall so far from grace and turn into such a horrible monster worse than the Lich King?! You talk about wanting to bring peace to people yet all you do is make innocent people suffer for a blind lust for power!" she spat at him in defiance.

The death knight chuckled. "You are too naive child. This isn't a fall from grace, this is about a willing change. Now I've come for it. I fought for it, then it is worth it, if innocents have to die, then their sacrifices are worth it. And you're pleads are useless when there is only one way that your days could have ended. You die, and he, well I'll let his life be up to him, but won't last long, not when he welcomes death all too dearly. Now child, would you keep on continuing this conversation or would you give time to the dying man."

The Draenei stood up, but before she left with her human lover, she sharply turned around and slapped the Death Knight in the face as hard as she could. She knew it was protected by the metal faceplate of his helmet but she didn't care. She slapped him for his hypocritical words. "You don't ever deserve peace." she spoke one last time before making her way helping Larkon walk with her.

"Peace is too much of a luxury for me child." He replied before turning his back to do whatever he does best.

She turned around and casted a small holy fire spell to destroy the small ice statue of the Naga Woman and the human. "Not even with her." He just nodded as a reply.

Alura had gone down back to her room. She was glad that the tauren and the goblin helped her with his wounds, or else she wouldn't know what to do when she looked at the sight of his face. All scarred up with cuts and bruises. His brows now have a bald line because the cut was so deep as his cheeks heeled yet still a very large scar was on both of it.

Larkon looked at Alura as he rested on the bed. Even though he was paralyzed earlier because of the pain he felt, he heard all of their conversation. "Why did you do it Alura?" He asked.

"I did what Larkon?" She asked softly, leaning her head on the side of the bed.

"Did you give up hope that we can escape? Did you give up on the hope that we can fulfill a dream that we promised to ourselves?" He reminded.

"Larkon I was not going to sit back and watch him kill you!" she told still holding his hand. "I trust and know you will get us out from this but I had to do something to stop him from killing you right there and then…" she held his hand tighter. "I was just scared to death Larkon….I know that if you had died there there is nothing waiting for me than just that. I would have taken my own life too knowing they would still murder me and Theia."

"I don't care if I die Alura. I did not have any dreams about us. Perhaps I'm not part of it, but I don't care, as long as you get out of here. If it requires me to die so that you could escape then so be it. Because of my dreamless nights I would probably think that a normal life was never meant for me."

"But my dreams are about us and I want you to be with us!" she shouted, she was deeply upset and tired and her sudden outburst suddenly made her stomach feel intense pain, so much that she gripped it hard.

Larkon noticed and even with all of his injuries he stood up, resisting the pain he felt in his stomach and body or everything and just immediately lifted Alura up to gently put her in his place in the bed. "Breathe, breathe don't stress...it's not healthy." He said.

"How can I not stress when you say you don't care if you die and leave us alone!" she cried out. "I don't want you to die Larkon I want you to be there with me and Theia!" she almost yelled, her stomach pains getting worse.

His scarred face looked at her in the eyes, his face showing every signs of sadness, guilt, anxiety. He gripped her hand as he held it against his cheeks while his other hand softly and gently patted her stomach. "Truthfully Alura, I don't know if I can give you that. But I know now it's going to kill me trying." He spoke that shattered her heart a thousand times over.

"Don't tell me that!" she lectured. "I don't care what you say or why you think you have to be all alone to do this. I'm not that worthless, I can still walk and work hard myself to help make our dream become a reality. I can help you if you need help, if you ever just need someone to lean on or just someone to help I'll do everything and more. Please…" she begged. "I won't let it ever kill you…" she spoke now on the verge of a mental breakdown.

He offered a smile yet it did not give her any assurance. "Just, sleep Alura. I'll stay up for the rest of the night to guard. I'm just going to be right beside you, a touch away." He kissing her hand.

Yanking her hand away she was done with all of this. "Don't tell me to sleep and say you'll be right beside me after telling me all of those problems!" she screamed. Sitting up and getting right back up. "I've had enough of all of this! I'm sick of being powerless and not being able to stop you from getting yourself killed! You are important to me! You are important to Theia! I went through hell and worse to try and find you but i will endure it a thousand times more if it just meant to keep you safe or find you! But I am not going to sit by while those I care for suffer I will not Larkon I WILL NOT!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her endurance finally reaching it's peak as her stomach soon got so painful that she dropped to her knees and screamed in pain from everything. Her screams immediately changed to concern. "Oh no…..I can't be stressed..ugh!"

Larkon jumped in and wrapped his arms around her, holding her arms with his even after all the pain and bruises, he was still the one trying to comfort her. "I will not, I will not I promise you, I promise you Alura, I promise you, just stay safe….stay safe….it will all be if there is anything that would happen to you. Just stay safe…..you're not weak, you were never powerless, it was my decisions that dragged us into this and I will get us out, for you, and for Theia. I will do everything in my power to have that dream Alura, I don't care if I have to suffer the the agonizing pain as long as you are safe, as long as it is…" He comforted as he cried behind her.

Meanwhile back in the room where the Death Knight stayed. He stood there staring at the broken pieces of the small ice statue of the naga woman and human. The words of the Draenei continue to haunt his mind. 'You don't ever deserve peace. Not even with her.' It seemed ironic when he experienced it first before she is.

"Kreus, what is it?" He asked as he felt the blood elf approach.

"There's a letter for you. It's probably the naga."

Turning his ever slightly over his shoulder, he motioned for the blood elf to leave it on the table and leave. The warlock did just that and once he left the letter on the closeby table and the Death Knight alone to read it i privacy, Lazarus picked it up. Walking over to a nearby desk he took a seat and opened the letter to read it's contents.

 _"Love, when are you going to get back to me? I missed you, I want to hold you and love you like we did back then, back when you were so young and strong, back when we planned for our lives with you for us to care, back when we even planned to have children. But even if now that can never happen I still I just want you to get back to be with me. When will you go back home? I cannot imagine what you must be facing or feeling with what forces have turned you into this but please don't face this by yourself. As you didn't care what I was back then I don't care what you are now or ever were. Just please come home I have been away from your love for so long it almost destroyed me. Please, please come home, away from this, away from all of this."_

He read the letter with an emotionless expression, letting it go before using his powers to let it float in front of his face. Then started to encase it in ice, slowly from the tips of its corner all the way till the last crevice before shattering it to a thousand pieces. "I'll be back, don't worry…" He muttered as the particles of ice began to dance till a figure had shaped. The figure of the woman he had wanted to be with in her two legged form, and a figure of a man, a tall man holding her hand and his other arm wrapped around her smaller frame as they slowly danced around the image of the ocean.

"I promise…"


	48. Gossiping Old men

Alura laid on the bed as she waited for the tauren to finish his preparations. Her eyes looking above as it met Larkon's. Smiling as she held his hand closely to her chest as it heaved in anticipation. She had been wearing great attention of worry about her pregnancy. Ever since she experienced once more the tensions in her stomach, she had been poignant about it, knowing the possibility that she might have harmed her baby.

"Don't worry alright. There's nothing to worry about. The baby is fine." Larkon assured, kissing her forehead that received a reply of the tauren rolling his eyes.

"Alright, let me apply some oil on the surface of her stomach so that with my enhanced senses of anything natural would play." Serid said as he but the bottle right beside her before opening it up and sprinkling his hands and rubbing it together, making it most and oily before pouring one on her stomach.

Larkon looked up with a narrowed brow and protectiveness." Touch her sexually, or you'll get hurt." He threatened that received a laugh as a reply.

"Young human, Taurens are not attracted to anything that is fair skinned with small horns."

Alura's face puffed her cheeks a little. "Why do I feel insulted by that?"

"Worry not, you are still beautiful in the eyes of those around you including your mate beside you. I acknowledge your beauty but I am not attracted to it. Now I need you to hold still for me." He said as he commanded Larkon to slide her shirt over her head and letting her breast be covered by a blanket.

"Alright…." He said as his eyes glow, looking down at the small bump as his large hands gently touched it, pressing slowly and gently.

Serid's eyes smiled. So happy once more to see the small beat of a heart. The head of the child was already starting to look like a human's and her body was just starting to form as legs and arms sprouted. "So beautiful…." He comment in whisper before letting the glow of his eyes cease and let his hands be somewhere else.

"Beautiful?" Alura asked as she heard. "Is she okay is she alright?" she frantically asked, sounding exactly like how any mother would sound when they fear something is wrong with their child.

"Nothing is wrong, she's very healthy. I do not know why you fret." He said.

"But why was I feeling the stomach contracts and why haven't I felt her move a little?" she asked still deeply worried and wanted to be absolutely sure.

"Stress? Probably, I'll just suggest. Don't get stressed or any outburst." Advised the large Tauren.

"That's what I try telling her but she never listens to me." Larkon mentioned.

The tauren waved and laughed. "I guess that would be a common couple's problem then human. I leave you now." He said as he stood up and began walking away.

"Why do you serve him? You know he seeks to sacrifice me, alongside my baby?" Alura asked, keeping her hands on her belly softly.

That caused the Tauren to stop where he stood and sighed. "I will see if I can ask him to wait until the child is born before proceeding with the ritual. As to why, it is what the will of the spirits to stop the Burning Legion from returning at all costs."

"It is a fool's belief that the burning will return so early after they were just defeated several years ago…" Alura argued.

"Then I can argue why you turn into an eradari in the vision, but I will not speak on that. I'll leave you alone." The tauren waved and left.

Once he was gone, there was a moment of silence between the human and Draenei. Larkon noticed Alura's worry, placing his hand on her soft cheek. "You okay?"

"How would the Burning Legion return? They were defeated several years ago, it cannot be possible for them to return that quick can it?" she asked in worry.

"Of course they won't. And what's with the tauren mentioning about you as an Eradari? He said about a vision." Larkon clarified, poised to her eyes.

Her body trembled in deep fear, the Tauren just let the cat out of the bag referring to the nightmares of the vision he had shown her should she refuse to help Lazarus and allow the Burning Legion to succeed. In truth the only thing she knew about the vision is that she was an eradari, hell bent on murder, but she never pondered why she ended up as. Was she…..and in her other dreams, she asked pondered that Theia's un willful corruption killed her yet in the dreams she was still as a person. Did she willfully submit herself before them?

"Umm…..Eradari's are…..my ancestors Larkon. We are draenei's and in our language it meant as 'refugees'..." Explained Alura, hoping Larkon would accept it as.

"Well I know that. We have a monster book manuals about all the known demons and monsters. I'm just asking what the tauren meant about you. Something of a vision? A dream? The way he talked looked like it implied that I should've known about it already." Pondered the human before looking at the poignant look in her eyes. "Are you hiding something from me Alura?"

She did not answer, she didn't want to answer. She was afraid of this, Larkon finding out the vision she was shown. She didn't want to tell him but now that he was questioning she was feeling now she had no choice as she knew he was bound to find out sooner or later.

She looks at him with pleading eyes, her breaths slowly heaving on to out. "Larkon, I want to just love you forever….yet for some reason I can't….Is my fate really that cruel to me…"

"What do you mean?"

She finally have the courage to say. "Whatever I did in that vision Larkon please forgive me….I don't want it to be a reality."

"Alura, I don't know what kind of stuff they showed you but there is no way in a snowball's chance in hell can it be real. I know you would never allow the burning Legion to do whatever the hell they did to you in whatever nonsense vision that Tauren or whoever showed you." he spoke.

"But I believe it is real Larkon….The moment they showed it to me I denied it entirely that it is real. Now I began to believe it. It's in my head, in my dreams, consistent to haunt me. And every time I see myself in the dreams it kills me inside knowing I had hurt the two people closest to my heart." Alura admitted.

"Alura, Alura look at me." he spoke seriously yet gently soft. "It can't be real, it's not possible for it to be real because you're too pure of heart to let that happen. I don't know what they want from you but apparently they want for this ritual because you are pure of heart and spirit. If that is the case then there is nothing the Burning Legion can do to corrupt such a pure and beautiful heart and spirit as the one I fell in love with."

"But I'm afraid…..In the vision not only did I hurt you but I willingly turned Theia, our beautiful daughter to something else that every mother would have died first before happening. I was so afraid as it kept on haunting me." Her eyes then looked at her hand with a dirty look on it. "I want to be strong...I want to be strong yet I'm so afraid!"

"I can understand your fear but I know you are very strong, all you have to do is look at these visions and say that's all false" Larkon encouraged.

"What?"

"You are strong Alura and you can be, the first step you have to take is say those vision are false because I know you would never, ever let them come true, ever." he smiled. "No weak person would ever go through draenor, fight everything else's and getting captured yet still has the heart to smile. You're stronger than me Alura. Look at me. I broke down the moment I know my friends are gone and I was alone, I broke down, yet you didn't in the face of diversity. I only look strong because I fight, or I keep an unfazed face, but deep inside Alura, I can never face diversity alone. But YOU can."

His words had a strong point to them. She had went through the hell and worse of Draenor yet she was still able to keep the heart to smile. It also made her wonder about the reason of why they needed her. They tell her they needed her because she had a pure heart and soul. If it's as special as for them to go to this amount of trouble then of course they are that special. She knew now that if she is as pure as they she is then nothing the Burning Legion could do would ever take that from her or from their daughter Theia.

"I'll tell you. When or if the Burning Legion gets here, then I will be holding them off while you run off far away to safety with Theia and so the vision will be wrong. Hows that?" He joked.

"Larkon, don't joke like that, I wouldn't want you to risk your life away again. Theia will need her father you know." she lectured.

"I know, I know. Look it may take some time to get over it but just keep telling yourself the vision is nonsense, convince yourself it is nonsense and you will be fine for I know it's nonsense, you know it's nonsense, and even they know it's nonsense." Larkon replied, truly thickening the voice when he uttered "nonsense."

"Just get in the bed dear, I could use your touch please…" she requested.

Happy to obliged, he walked around and hopped on with her back facing to him as he scooted up closer to her and rub his hands on her belly.

"Larkon?"

"Yes?"

"Are you okay with the child being born a girl?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's just, I hear stories of people being obsessed with having a boy. It was always son this son that to them. That they cared only for that and did not care for the welfare of the woman carrying the child. I even heard some stories when a female was born, that they would go to extreme lengths to try and kill the mother and child." she spoke.

"That's horrible, where did you hear that story?"

"From another widow from the church. She told me of her traumatizing experiences when she did not give birth to a son but instead a daughter and her supposed husband tried to have her and her child killed for that very reason."

Larkon smiled at her direction. "If I am so willing to train my captain's little girl then I would be so willing to father OUR daughter Alura."

"So you don't mind her being born as a girl."

"Come to think of it, all I want is just one little happy family to love and treat as if we are a royal family of Stormwind." He joked with a light chuckle.

"I'll love that….perhaps one day Theia would be a member, and Jorden's daughter would be her captain…."

"I hope not…." Larkon commented on to his thoughts. He wasn't so pleased with the Idea of his own daughter be like him. Running around in the town chasing criminals for measly pay.

"Larkon? You seem like you are down on that idea." Alura noticed as she looked up to him.

He nodded. "Well, I just don't like it for her to be like me you know? Every day, just going in the business like a clockwork." Raised Larkon.

The draenei soon to be mother smiled. "Larkon, If you still think you are not a success in life and because of that you degrade your standards, then I would ask, what is success? You have friends, and you have…..me, and her." She pointed at her slightly bumped stomach.

"That's true it's just, it was quite the harsh life to live." he scooted up to her and kissed her forehead. "I was hoping she be more like you, a priestess of the church of the Holy Light. "

"Ohhh I am sure she would be more like you than like me Larkon. She'll find priestess hood uninteresting and boring from the first day." She chuckled. "But let's make her choose when the time comes…."

Larkon looked up immediately when she said that. Looking at the corners again. "Yes…..when that time comes."

* * *

The old farmer walked through the soft soils. His face now adorned with a white beard, his back slightly hunched as his golden age as already been up for quite a while now, the twilight of his life fastly approaching, but he still retained some of his strength as he stroll through the field with a large sack and a shovel on his shoulders. "Well, got to dig and hide these seeds again. It seems as if it's been only three days since the last harvest…...oh wait it was only three days when we finished. Silly me, the ole head of mine got some few scraps loose." He talked and joked to himself as he pounded his shovel deep into the soft soil before lifting it up and putting it aside. "I really wish I was fifty years younger. Stuck with a forty five year old marriage makes me want to retrace that. Hmmm, it's nature. But I need to quicken this up, that old hag is still waiting for me. The Lennox children are waiting for us back then and those elves. At least this evening would be good for us neighbors." He reminded before putting the seeds and covering them up.

Picking up the shovel he made his way back to the inside of his farm. Just keeping to himself as he picked up the empty bag of seeds and made his way back across the field.

"The kid should get married soon. With my grandchild seemingly interested in his sister I would be good for his future to have some women running around his life." He muttered under his breath.

He looked over to the distance, atop of a shallow cliff. "Aye, what is that?" He puts his straight palm atop of his eyes and squinted at the distance, seeing an interesting figure. Long ears, short horns, with sharp blades on his back covered with green tattoos. "Aye, I don't know what the kids of this generation are up to. But oh well, I could tell some old folks like me about this story in Stormwind." He said as he continued to trek forward, seemingly uncaring to what he had witness.

* * *

Two months the debate between the leaders of the Horde and Alliance over the issue of the missing Draenei. Two months have passed with their most secretive forces been searching and scouting, and no progress was being done, while the people were slightly relaxed now from the tension between the horde and Alliance because of the interfactional garrison, the draenei's still voice their unrest, despite the father of the kidnapped victim himself pleaded to not blame the horde for the actions of one rouge. For the time being, Urak and his stepdaughter had been making their stay at the Inn that belonged to the old dwarf who was friends with his human brother in arms.

"Damn, I knew gladiator fights were brutal. But did Larkon really cut that orc's head off while he was begging to return to his family?" Finan asked the Orc. During the two months at his stay Urak had learned to trust the human's friends to tell them their story fighting as gladiators.

"Well, if you're so desperate to live you'll do anything. And I don't blame him. He probably has nightmares about it." Urak said as he drank the cup of wine.

"How are you doing gentlemen?" The night elf Fylrae walked in. "Is there any findings, or clues about Alura's whereabouts? It had been two and a half months past. Alura is three or four months months pregnant by now, oh I hope wherever they are both are their alright. I don't know what happened to Larkon, I don't know what happened to Alura, but I pray. With Alura kidnapped, and Larkon suddenly leaving the city without notice…." Raised Fylrae, sitting down onto their sides.

"Nothing, no one has found anything regarding the two…" Serga sighed sadly.

"Aye, how be Kuura lass? How she be handling motherhood?" Thark asked. "Hmmm probably like Kinar, the lass grew up so fast. Eh she be marryin the wimp. But she been sayin that while they officially be engage, she won't be startin the marriage party till Alura and the lad would get back."

"I see…" the night elf was silent from the news, not sure if she should say anything else.

"Still, that lad maybe a wimp but he be good to Kinar and that's better than anything one could ask. Perhaps me and larkon or good old General Koda will shape that boy into shape, Eh the lad is short, just as tall as the lass itself." Thark tried joking, just trying to get his mind off the slight depression he was feeling at this moment. His old face showed it clearly with the lack of sleep he had been having over deep worry for the Draenei he saw as his own.

"Sometimes even the most common of weeds can shape to be stronger than the rest given the time." Quon spoke as he kept writing in his little book.

Urak just turned his head to look at the Pandaren and looked at the Gnome who just shrugged.

"Serga, if I may ask, I was wondering if you would accompany me to check up on Kuura's children." The night elf asked the tauren who with a small smile, got up and exited the Inn with the Night Elf.

Outside at the little yard close to the Inn that Thark fixed up sometime for customers to keep their horses and other mounts to stay during their visit. Kuura was lazily lying on one side of the yard keeping close eye on her two cubs who were now two months old. They were prancing and pouncing around at each other like most striped frostsaber cubs would. Strangely, Urak's frostwolf, Kalib was in the same yard asleep on the far other end of the yard not paying the striped frostsabers any attention.

"How cute….." The tauren commented as she kneeled down, using her shamanic powers to propel some patch of grass beside the two cubs for them to play on it, in which they did. "Kalib doesn't seem to mind." Serga chuckled as the cubs immediately began playing on the frostwolf, which one was pouncing and jumping on his head, his eyes clearly in annoyance.

Kuura lifted her head a little, a little worried for her kittens.

"You sure it's okay for them to play with your father's frostwolf?" The night elf asked sounding as concern as Kuura would've sound if she could talk.

"He's gentle. He often experience such travesty like this back home, so this is not new for him." Assured the tauren.

The wolf seemed to assure them of Serga's words as he yawned sleepily and just layed his head on his paws.

"I'll have to get going for now Fylrae along with my father. I thank you for your hospitality and the others." She bowed, and when the wolf heard her, he suddenly got up, causing one of the cubs who was on his head suddenly be lifted up before falling down unharmed.

Seeing that her kittens were getting a little far away from her reached, Kuura got up and gently picked both her cubs by the neck with her jaws and carry them back over to where she was.

The night elf nodded. "Thank you Fylrae, I'll see you in some other time then." She waved as she watched the tauren reply back with a wave before leaving.

"She's a beautiful frostsaber isn't she? Don't see many that are striped these days." she heard a young human voice speak to her from behind. Turning around to greet the person she was shocked to see who it was.

"Sorry mi 'lady if I scared you." the prince of Stormwind apologised with a small bow.

"Your highness, forgive me I...I…" Flyrae tried speaking but was speechless, shocked, and not sure what to say or do.

"I'm just here for the potions that our royal herbalist has promised me. The locals said that this would be the location where he spends his time most when he is not present in his house. So I would assume." The prince excused.

"Oh um of course, Finan is inside as we speak regarding our friend Alura. She was the Draenei that was taken."

"Oh? I'm sorry for the horrid event. I'll inform my father to see if I can do anything to help. But for now I thank you miss." Anduin replied, bowing to the night elf before proceeding to meet the gnome, to which Finan asked Anduin to follow him back to the mansion.

"My apologies your royal highness for the many delays on this particular request, I have a new apprentice who I hope will take my place as the royal herbalist once I retire, she is a Druid from Gilneas who shows very good promise and talent. So much I have allowed her to do this under my watch." Finan spoke as he escorted the Prince of Stormwind down the rocky road that lead to the direction of his mansion. "But she won't be in here right now prince Anduin. She's somewhere back in Gilneas along with her father because she is getting married, but she is willing to postpone is for the sake of her missing friends."

"I see, I look forward to working with your apprentice. And I wish her luck in her marriage Finan, tell her that she has my blessing." Nodded Anduin.

Fylrae prepared food and water for them, patting Kuura slowly behind her head. "Alright, I'll be back Kuura, I'll just help Thark with the inn."

Her striped frostsaber reached over and licked the cheek of her close friend and master, quietly thinking her. "Alright, I probably should go back ahead in the inn for a bit Kuura. You'll handle." Fylrae walked over and picked up the cubs and places them near the mother, and then walked shortly back to the inn.

"Oi lass, would ye mind handlin the inn alone fer a bit? I be writin fer Alura's mother to be seein if she has something." Thark walked towards, opens up the counter door way.

"Sure, I'll bite." She agreed.

Three old men entered the inn, somewhere in their mid-70's in human standards, slightly hunched as they walked towards a circular table and sat down.

"Hey young lass, can you give us some drinks? An apple cider for us three would be good enough." Requested one of the old man.

"I'll have it over." Replied the night elf.

The inn was a bit quiet, the three old men where the only customers so far in the inn because of some reason, or it could be just a slow day. But she overheard the old men began mumbling and gossiping.

"Oi, these young generations are a bit diverse eh? Haven't seen this kind of diversity since I was fourty years old thirty five years back in the first war." One of the old man told as Fylrae approaches them with the three mugs of apple cider.

"Here you go, that would be ten silver all in all." She said.

They placed ten silver in the table and she calmly took it and walked away. But one of the old man choked on his drink when he remembered something.

"Oh, I forgot, some time ago I saw this figure. Like the young bartender here, that figure was a night elf I'm sure. But he was different. These young laddies and lassies have been experimenting themselves I assume."

That caused Flyrae's ears to flick when she heard the old man mention a figure like her. Still she stayed silently and washed a mug while she continued to listen into their story of this figure.

"What do you mean by experimenting on themselves? Night Elves don't do that. I should know because my daughter is married to one." one of the old men chuckled.

"No, these young lad, lad I would say because the figure looked like one of those night elf males, you know? Tall. But then he has demon like small horns, sprouting on his forehead, and then glowing tatoos, like those warlocks with their weird books." the story teller detailed.

"Hey I've heard of such a night elf like that. Wasn't the only night elf who had those called Illidan or something like that?"

"Illidan, Lillydan I don't know. But ye know, horns that's the only thing I know."

"How long ago was this?"

"And where did you see this horned night elf?"

"Ahhhh..Hmmm….this old brain is a bit duzzing…..hmmm, somewhere at the rocky peaks in west fall, close to the old abandoned mines that used to be occupied by those Defias Brotherhood folks..." answered the aging customer.

"Excuse me sir?" Flyrae had to ask as calm as she could. "How long ago was this?" the night elf huntress asked now wanting to know the full story of this for it had to be who she thought it was.

"Just a…..week or two ago? Somewhere like that young lady."

Fylrae was puzzled, could it be? It had to be him. "Nothing sir. Enjoy your drink." She said as he bolted in to tell Thark.

* * *

Two months trapped in this place he wasn't sure what their desires must be to keep him alive. If they planned to sacrifice Alura why keep him alive. Was it to keep her in check until they can be ready for it? Or was it another sick twisted thing they wanted to play on for revenge for ruining their first attempt. He wasn't sure, but what he is sure is that they are planning something else for him. He had been doing tests after physical tests for some reason, ordering him around to lift a block of cement that weighed a hundred kilos on his shoulders, pulling a very heavy wood block with a rope for twenty meters.

Larkon looked up to the stone walls, looking for cracks, or anything that would signify a small chance of escape. But in the last two months there was none to be.

"Larkon, are you alright?" Asked Alura from behind, Naked under the cover of the sheets while Larkon was just on his boxers.

He looked at her, nodding at her direction. "I'm alright."

She turned around to face him. Taking the bed sheets off her revealing her naked form but also revealing her now bloated belly that had grown quite a lot during the past two months. She hugged him from behind and just rocked themselves back and forth. But then Larkon turned themselves and it was him behind Alura, wrapping his arms around her stomach.

"Are you afraid Larkon?" Asked Alura.

He nodded behind her, burying his face onto her flowing neck length white hair. "Somewhat. I'm not going to lie to you."

Alura held his neck with her left hand, slowly rubbing it. "I am too….I'm afraid."

He kissed her cheek softly, gently rubbing her belly a little more. "So how she been?"

"She has been…" she stopped when she felt her stomach distended, like it zapped her in a small bumping pain. "Oh my, she's kicking." Alura happily acknowledged as she puts her hands on her belly, feeling her small feet through her skin. "She's kicking Larkon. Our baby is kicking."

"Really, that's kind of mean of her." he joked with a small chuckle as he stood up and walked around to kneel down infront of her and softly place his head close to her belly. "So what's it like when Dreanei children kick their mothers with their hooved feet?"

Alura smiled. "I don't think she will have hooves Larkon. Her feet feel soft." She noticed as she let out a small chuckle.

"I see, so she's going to be more human than Draenei?" he asked still smiling.

"I don't know. But what I do know is that she's going to be so beautiful." She said before a knock interrupted their small yet memorable moments of each other. Quickly reaching over to the bed sheets to cover her nude form from any prying eyes as the figure came in.

Kreus showed up to the door. "Come up, you two both."

Sighing annoyingly for having such a wonderful moment, Larkon stood up and started getting dressed as the Warlock left to give them privacy to dress. Moments later he was leading the two now fully dressed lovers down a hallway for something.

"What is it this time?"

"The Death Knight wants both of you to meet him…..Alone." He emphasized as Kreus turned his back on them and walked away as cultist went inside to escort them.

"What would he want this time?' Alura asked sounding slight concern.

"I don't know, you say this guy used to be a Paladin?" Larkon said. "I don't trust paladins. I see them as somewhat masking their real intentions behind their righteous dogmas."

"My father's a Paladin remember?" Alura mentioned.

"Well, not like that. But I meant in general. I don't trust them." He replied as they arrived on the hallway, now filled with stalagmites of ice, and shards and foams forming around the trenches of the walls. "It's chilly here." He takes of his silken shirt and gave it to Alura, never minding the cold touching his skin. "Here Alura, you need this more than me."

"Just go forward, the door is at the end." The cultists informed before leaving them alone.

Hesitating at first the two made their way over to the door, each step becoming colder and colder than the last until eventually they entered inside. There they saw the Death Knight standing there without his hooded cloak on but still had his full face helmet on observing his own runesword.

"I've been expecting you two…" he spoke, no matter how many times they heard him speak they could never get used to the chill his dark echoing voice would send down their spines. He placed his runesword back on the table before turning to them. "So how's the progress of your offspring?"

Alura clutched her stomach, as if protecting it just from his words. "Nothing that you need to know. She's just healthy and that's that." The soon to be mother replied with venom, no longer afraid of his presence it seems.

That didn't stop the Death Knight from walking over to the interracial couple and placing an icy cold metal clawed hand softly on her stomach to feel the life that grew slowly inside. Larkon could almost boil his blood in anger when the death knight touched her. But he knew better than to arouse his anger once again.

"So it is a girl I see…"

Alura backed off to the protection of Larkon. "Yes it's a girl and she will never know you or your evils. She would be free from such experience unlike me." She answered back.

Lazarus was silent for a small moment before turning around to look at his runesword. "If I may ask what is more evil? A being willing to use extreme measures to change the world. Or those in title abuse their power to make the world around them suffer."

"The nature of evil begins when you define the value of life." Murmured the draenei that still was able to be heard.

"And they don't?" he turned to face her from the distance he was. "Believe me child if there was another way we would not know one another. But this is the only way to stop the world from tearing itself apart."

Larkon had enough and finally raised his voice. "What do you want? Other than antagonizing her, I see that there isn't much in here for us. Unless you want something from me. What is it? Lifting cement and pulling logs of trees as physical tests for me had to have some purpose."

"No I just have something I wish to talk to you since I'm not all that heartless of a being as I care for life unlike how you view me and those of corrupt power do." Lazarus answered sounding calmly as always.

"What is it…." Asked Larkon, his voice was low yet sharp in his tongue.

"Isn't it beautiful that your child would be alive, and flourished to grow up healthy, protected by the folks surrounding her?"

Alura opened her eyes wide when she heard his words, now considering for Theia to be born first. "What? Are you going to let Theia be born? Answer me!" She demanded without hesitation.

"Of course, like I said I'm not heartless." he answered.

Alura heavily sighed in relief, her knees buckled as she sat on the floor, holding Larkon's leg while rubbing her stomach.

"But…...there's more…" He smiled underneath the helmet, the pitch black darkness inside of it covered his entire face. "Wouldn't it be better for the child to be with her parents beside her as she grows up? She would never feel the loneliness of orphans."

Just when she thought she could have a moment to be relieved of such terrible stress it had all awaken that much more the moment he spoke those words. Larkon on the other hand knew there was a catch to it so he was the first to speak out.

"I knew there was a catch to this! You still want to kill Alura don't you?!"

"I do not desire her death personally. It's just I have no other choice if I am to stop this world from destroying itself and prevent the Burning Legion from taking it over if they do return. I am however as I said not heartless but I am patient so I will wait until the child is born before I commence with the ritual."

"So what kind of nonsense are you talking? One minute you say you're going to let us raise her next minute kills us what the hell are you trying to tell us!" Larkon demanded.

"I never said that you would raise her fool." He cracked and cackled before looking towards Alura's direction. "Being a mindless dog that gives affection to the child is better than being a fertilizer for the flowers am I correct? Leaving a child alone, and sad is just as much as a crime."

"What are you offering?!" Larkon yelled.

Alura's whole body froze in horror at those words as they sunk deep into her core. She wanted her baby to be born but did the Death Knight really say he would use her and Larkon to be used as affectionate pets to their child?

"You two will be there for her always. And do not worry, she will be guided. You see my beloved Erecia has always wanted children but that was years ago and I cannot give her that promise no longer. Instead I could give her a pure untainted child to be raised the way you two want her to be. Far away from the evils of the world in true perfect pure peace and innocence." The death knight somewhat pulled a checkmate as he saw the fear in their eyes. "You know, if you do not accept. I will tell her in her life that you both never had loved her, that you chose to die because you are incapable of loving her, that she would just be a burden for you both. She will grow to hate you two, and resentment and hate towards you would grow in her days."

"Why?! Why?! Why?!" Alura began crying. Even if she tried to be strong, she is just a person who would crack if she heard his words.

"You son of a bitch!" Larkon had enough of this Death Knight's twisted form of sparing their daughter. Dashing fast he grabbed a close by sword and planned to kill the Death Knight for his words. Yet the moment he stroke, a figure from the shadows stepped out and blocked the attack. Preventing Larkon's blade from ever coming close to Lazarus.

The figure none other than the demon hunter night elf who was the older twin of their Night Elf huntress friend. Blocking his sword strike with his warglaive.

Enraged he tried to step back and strike from a different angle but only to fall to his knees from having the breath knocked out of him when the Demon Hunter kneed him hard in the stomach.

"Take them back. They'll accept soon enough."


	49. Grave Memories

Thark waited around in the night, his dead eye looming over the boundaries. Looming over the, sitting at the large branch of the tree. His good eye shined through the darkness as moon's rays hit him. Waiting for someone to meet. He picked out a letter from his pouch in his saddle, claiming that the letter says that he should meet her in the dead of night at two in the midnight. It was not a harrowing request, he had met far more struggles than just to stay up till dawn breaks in.

Cracks of branches finally reached his ears as a firm yet tiny thud hit the large branch he was sitting in. Thark stood up from his position, using his hand to balance himself as he turned his head to see a figure, standing over at the end of the branch with perfect balance, un fazed at the thought of falling over because of it breaking.

"Ye took long enough…" Snorted the dwarf.

"A quest to save the draenei is not easy Thark." She retorted as she took out a scroll. It was a drawn map, of the mines of west fall. There were dark spots, circles and some other points. "Circles are where cultists usually residing. The dark spots are areas we could sneak in possibly, only a possibility. But the large red mark in that big circle is probably where Alura is held."

"Aye this not be me first mission involving situations where the quest not be easy. Give me a day and I have this place photographed in me head." he accepted the map. "Ye older twin didn't see ye right? Even though he be wearing that blindfold over his glowing eyes?"

"I was staying as FAR as POSSIBLE away from him. I don't want to take the chances. Have you told anyone in the group to tell anyone? Because we must keep this as confidential as possible, we can't let the others know, it would crowd the investigation too much and would create too much of a fuss in the mine, the enemy would know us by then because of it." Fylrae replied, taking off her mask as she sat down.

"Aye a only shared this with the gnome and the panda. The other lads I did not, they both tell me they ain't gon be talkin anytime soon on anyone unless we be sayin so." The dwarf queried, sitting down on the tree.

The Elf, using her athleticism gracefully jumped down onto the patch of grass below without hassle. "Come, we'll plan this with them. We can't tell anyone about this or we have to figure this out ourselves. Remember, if anyone knows we're all doomed, the faction would crowd them out of they knew and the cultists would know by then and would be gone before we can even reach them." The night elf motioned to move out back to Stormwind in their Inn as she watched the dwarf climbed down from the tree.

The dwarf nodded. "Yeah I know, you be tellin me that fer a second time." He bellowed as he followed her through.

* * *

They both locked themselves in. Even though they knew they can get in whenever they want, at least it seemingly brought them the assurance of security as they hugged each other out, locking themselves inside the room, gathering chugs of water and some supplies for them to eat out of a request before locking each other up after the recent tribunal with the Death Knight.

Alura kept her head buried on his chest, never minding that her horns started to dig on his skin, but Larkon didn't complain as he wrapped his arms around her shoulder, as they lay together under the soft covers of the mattress. Larkon's eyes were left to a wonder as he looked at the ceiling with a bitten lip, is thoughts going in an overdrive.

"Larkon, I don't want my baby to hate me….." The draenei lamented, her eyes still wet in tears even after how many hours or a day have passed by. Her thoughts were only filled with sadness after the Death Knight set his demand in return Theia would be alive.

"I know, I don't her want to…" He consoled, looking down at her face, so beautiful even after it drowned in tears. "I'll make something happen Alura, I promise. Even if it KILLS me." He pointed down, his voice were raised when he mentioned the word KILL. It brought the draenei to think for the worse.

She looked up, feeling hoarse but now feeling frightened when he said that. "No, Larkon, you promised me that-"

He held her firm as he cut her off. "Alura." His voice filled with assertion. "I have to break that promise Alura if there is a chance for Theia and you on ANYTHING." He maintained, looking down on her eyes with a narrowed brow, sending in the message to her. "You KNOW that." He insisted hoarsely.

"But Lark-"

The draenei stopped when the door opened, looking over to reveal the troll and his pick lock. "Mon, you two be wantin to go to da main diner room mon, eh be prepared just fo you two." The troll told.

"Tell your boss he can shove it." Alura spoke, especially not happy to be asked by the troll of all people.

"Eh be generous if ye go mon. The Death Knight be sayin he ain't gon be generous any longa. He be considerin killin you and the foal inside ye in the ritual while letting that guy behind yo back be beaten to death." The troll cautioned.

Larkon escaped a sigh as he moved to free his legs and sat in the edge of the bed. "Just get out from here and leave us be. Tell him we'll come over." he said, his tone dripping in contained anger. "Get dressed Alura, let's meet him up." He urged her as he helped her out.

"Damn, and here I be thinking I get da chance to stay and watch da sexy draenei undress."

"Get out you sick bastard!" Alura yelled throwing a book at the Troll to prove her point.

The troll just moved out of the way and left them. Alura sighed as Larkon pulled up her dress up to fit her bulging stomach. She felt a little bit of pain when she felt the baby kick once more. "Ouch, the baby is quite active Larkon, beating her mommy up." She joked. Even at the darker times she had the time to make him wince a chuckle.

"Its good thing she apparently has human like feet, otherwise it would've hurt more if they were hooved feet right?" he tried joking himself.

"Significantly." She answered just as she finished dressing up along with him. "Let's go Larkon, I don't want to keep the fool waiting."

"The troll or death knight?" He joked.

"Anybody else in this cursed placed…." She clarified, looking over to his taller frame, putting her eyes directly to his. "Larkon, please don't make me let you go…." She said softly, so calmly that her eyes didn't shed tears. "Don't make me raise Theia alone, I don't want to end up like Jorden's wife…." Alura puts her head on his chest, as he placed her arms on his.

"If I have to then I have to, that is the only thing I can promise." he kissed her head and held her close. "But when there is opportunity when I don't have to, then I will put everything in my power to not let it happen."

Her nod was the only thing she can reply to.

Sometime later with them both now fully dressed, they were escorted down the frozen hallway to where they were expected to go. He stayed closed and kept a arm wrapped around Alura, keeping sharp eyes on any of the cultists who were escorting them in case of anything. Still he wanted to ask a question.

"If you Twilight members worship the old gods, why are you here helping this Death Knight who knows nothing or cares about your goals?"

"As if we worship some sort of octopus rooted in the ground. It is amusing you still assume we worship anything. All we want is power, if an octopus can't provide us some power then the death knight can. Now put your head back on the hall way or we make it for you." The cultist replied sternly.

With a sigh he complied, still keeping his senses sharp on any of them in case of anything was to happen. He put himself closer to Alura, putting his arm around her shoulder in a false sense of protection for her. Looking up to the hallway where a large door was present. It was the main quarters, where grandeur decoration were held as if to keep an atmosphere of royalty. Alura had been there, with the Death Knight when Larkon wasn't present yet. She ate, so it must be the reason why they are summoned.

The door opened, and it was. The Cultists were in a circular formation surrounding the very large rectangular table, each were having a silver platter filled with certain foods. While The Death Knight stood at the other end of the table.

Lazarus flicked his fingers down, motioning the cultists to put the platters on the table. And with a nodd, everybody did, like what royal servants do in a royal castle. After, the Death Knight motioned his hand for them to leave, before flicking his hand once more as the huge chandelier above suddenly had lit up and covered the dark room with an array of light that illuminated every crevice and every inch of the place.

Alura gulped, upon seeing the food hunger strokes her.

"I figured you be hungry again seeing as your child continues to grow inside you." Lazarus spoke. He had his hooded cloak off and for once he had his helmet off revealing his nightmarish face and razor sharp fanged teeth. Taking a sip of wine as he layed back twirling the cup in his hand. Waving his other hand to motion for the two to sit if they wanted.

Larkon looked at Alura, motioning for her to sit. "Just eat, he's right. You're going to need to eat. Theia needs it." He implored.

She looked back at the Death Knight at first, seeing him take another gentle sip of wine. The image as always still horrified her deeply yet her hunger overcame her and she found herself taking a seat.

"Theia hu? That is a pretty name, from what I know it means light." Lazarus spoke. "M'innda se endorei alaminor Analara' Theia" He blurted in Thalassian as he pointed at Alura. "It means, and I'm referring to you draenei, the mother who bore a child of light."

"And where did you learn Thalassian?" Larkon asked.

"My adopted sister was a high elf before she was turned into a dark ranger…" The Death Knight took another sip of wine and laid back in his seat some more. "It is easy for me to learn the language of the high elves when I spent my days in their capital, along with other paladins surrounded by High Elves, men, women and children. Beautiful people, beautiful." He complimented without thought as he recollected.

Alura was taking bites of steak as she listened closely to the Death Knight's words. It made her smile softly and rub her belly gently. 'The mother who bore a child of light,' brought a very soft smile across her lips.

"But you on the other hand…...Larkon was it young man? Yes, your name signifies that you are indeed a dirty beast." The death knight pointed. "Sela'ama amronor Ignilas Larkon basen." He muttered once more in the ancient language of the high elves. "What does it mean? It means, A warrior who is out for blood." He translated. "Warrior, that means you. Coincidental isn't it? All of our names has meaning, and mostly, they reflect ourselves." He drank his wine once more.

"And let me guess, yours mean someone or thing that's returned from death." the human insulted.

"How about we play a little bit of games?" The death knight immediately counters. "I go first. What does, the name…...Jorden mean?" He enthused, his lip no longer present to form a smile, but if were, it would have formed widely.

"It means who is faithful outside even his destiny." Alura answered taking a sip of water.

"Wrong…." the Death Knight barred. "The man who leads is the answer." He placed his hand on his chin. "His name signifies the ancient river of Jordan ten thousand years ago, when a fabled human led his people to cross the river without worry about the grasping waters. There, the name Jordan, or Jorden were meant to signify the man who lead his people." He answered. "Does the meaning of his name reflect his life boy?"

"I didn't know you knew Thalassian." Larkon asked his Draenei lover.

"I've had allot of time to look into various different languages. Though my Thalassian is still rusty." she answered.

"And yes it does, and how would you know anything about him you're the one who killed him." the human spoke now turning his attention back to the Death Knight.

"This is correct but may I ask you this. What business did you have at Tanaan Jungle?" The death knight once again jabbed.

"You'll know nothing."

"And I know everything. So enjoy the food. Waitress…" He called over, and a cultist appeared, a female human. "Bring the expectant mother a bit of comfort, like a pillow, it seemed she's hurting her back." Lazarus requested with a tone of pretension. And with a bow the female cultist left.

"What is it for?" Alura asked. "I need not for your gifts, I have mine, and that is enough." She said.

"Well, a mother needs her comfort. Especially, when….well when the _time_ approaches and you two still hadn't decided for the future of the blessed child. And I will not bother you with it, I'll await your answer in due time." He insisted.

The female cultist arrived with a pillow in her hand and placed it beside the expectant mother and walked away. "I'm hospitable. I'm capable of loving, I'm just as human as anyone of you. Except, I use my mind for reason, not for emotion, reason, logic and evidence drives me to calculations. I was like you, both of you at one point, blindly following a deity but so anyone else in the world, with time nearing for both of you. I want to give you both the luxury of having to love each other before the time arrives."

"And why do you care so much?" the human warrior asked.

There was a moment of silence from Lazarus before the Death Knight finally spoke. "Because you both remind me of Erecia and I, back when I wasn't this…..thing, but I regress. I always want happiness whenever something reminded me of a good memory."

"I am not this Erecia person you speak of." Alura spoke out.

"I know…" He took a sip of his wine. "But I know you both. But don't matter we are all mortals. Well, technically, you are but time is too slow for you, and you have to say goodbye to him." He points at Larkon. "Before age grips him and takes him away. But, that's what I'm offering, for you, both. So that the child's long life, will be with her parents beside her till her days end."

"Wow, and here I thought Arthas was the one who went beyond crazy. You're just a corpse out of your own rotted mind aren't ya. Because what makes you think we would take such a hellish offer like that?" Larkon shouted.

"The girl's view towards you would change of course. Some lies, and some fabricated truth would make her hate you and you till she grows old, still bitter that her birth parents would leave her. It is her hate that would crush, that had come from her anger because of her fear of being alone."

"That won't happen, ever." The human committed before adding. "I'm going to get us both out of here, even if I have to go through you to do so."

The death knight nodded. "Well Good luck with that. I hope you'll have a clear conscience knowing your child's opinion about you in the future." He stood up and walked away. "I'll let you have your luxury, no one will bother you both."

The two stayed put as they watched Lazarus walk away from the room, leaving them alone in peace for once. Sitting down close to the Priestess, Larkon sighed in relief just to be out of the undead Death Knight's presence. She heard Alura cringed slightly as she had to put her food down and rub her belly.

"Goodness she's very lively, kicking me while I eat." she giggled.

Larkon smiled, though it eclipsed a concerning smile. "I hope we'll get through this."

"We will." Alura spoke softly, reaching a hand over to hold his. "I have faith in you, if we survived Draenor, then we can survive this." She reached over and kissed him softly. "Come on Larkon, let's eat, let's enjoy this moment, we have spent too much time with our words." She pulled an apple to his mouth.

"This scene reminds me of a memory Alura." Larkon smiled, somewhat letting a tear escape from his eyes.

"Hmm? What would be it?"

"The day when I was bedridden because of my wounds of the lashes, you were beside me in that bed on that morning….." He exhaled loudly, somewhat conquered by his emotions. "I will never forget that moment Alura." Larkon wrapped his arms around her back. "You changed my life, forever." He began to sob.

"Larkon, you made your life-"

"Alura listen, I never had faith in myself ever since I was just an orphan on the streets, Even when Jorden took me up, shaped me into something of a man, I was never mentally there, I never believed in myself even through the training he got me, he inspired me to survived but I never got to be inspired to live Alura, I never got to until I met you." He spoke to her, looking at her directly as tears run down under his eyes. "I never thought I could have anything other than to survive Alura. And you changed that for me, I never did it, because unconsciously it was you who changed me Alura. How could a nobody like me, an unwanted town guard make his own life? I didn't." He puts his head down. "I'm saying this now Alura because whenever happens to us, to me, I'll make it count to make sure. I love you Alura, I love you till my I draw my last breath, I would give everything for you Alura, even if it means my life."

Alura was silent for a moment but she found a way to speak her words without opening her mouth. Gently scooting up to her human lover. She gently pushed his head down to gently lay on her bloated stomach. Letting him feel the life of their unborn child move softly in her.

"Whatever happens…." Alura repeated as she locked her blue glowing eyes onto his, holding his cheeks with both of her hands. She nodded at him as if sending a message, she knew that no matter what, she would never convince him to not sacrifice himself for his loved ones. It is in his nature. "Whatever happens love…."

She felt her child kick slightly once more, this time however, Larkon felt this one this time as his strong hand was gently rubbing her belly.

"I think she can already know when her daddy is closeby." the Draenei smiled.

"Yeah I felt that one it's soft and gentle but I can imagine it doesn't feel like that to you." he smiled.

"Because she knows Larkon what kind of daddy you would be." She said, making him look at her again, her smile imprinted so beautifully on to her face. "Selfless, Kind, Fun, Brave, and especially loving. That's you Larkon, and that's why I fell in love with you."

Lazarus heard through the walls of the castle. His mouth, if he had lips would have been curled to a smile, and yet also a frown. Sitting down on the ground to lay against the wall, he reached back for the special music box he held so dear to him and listened. As he listened to its soft soothing sounds he remembered the words he once shared with his love at one critical moment in his life before death.

 _"It's very lively, it must know when its father is closeby for it seems to kick whenever you are near."_ He remembered Erecia's words to him from long ago.

 _"It's because of you. And I want to be honest Erecia, I still wonder how you conceived, we are so far alike."_

 _"We are formerly elves love. That closes our gap. No gaps are too far apart, not even our race."_

 _"Hu, I guess you're right."_

"The choice of these young ones, and their naivety, just like me." He said, standing up and putting the small music box away as he walked away from the area completely.

* * *

The retired archmage walked down the halls of the castle of Stormwind, his old college with him as they discussed the situation still going on.

"So the King still hasn't retired you yet hu Finan?" Khadgar asked his old friend and fellow Archmage.

"No not yet as pain of an ass that is. Still I wanted to speak to you on if the Kirin Tor could help with this situation. You see I know the Draenei personally and I do owe her in a large way." The old gnome requested.

"What would be it Finan. The case has gone cold, and I fear for the draenei but the SI7 isn't giving up, the horde in the city is just now an act to make sure it eases the tension. She is with child the vindicator, so I would let you have this. What do you want from the organization?" He replied.

"Just anything Khadgar please we have to find this girl and fast if the Twilight Hammer are maybe involved in this."

"The Twilight Hammer is dead. Whatever cultists remained are either now just mercenaries, or in hiding. I have already set teams of mages months ago to track her aura, and we are still cold in it. I tried. Whatever kidnapped the draenei is truly something of strength. But I am not giving up if that is what you thought of me old friend." The Archmage said.

"No I never think that. Still I thank you still for everything. I must be on my way now. You take care old friend." the Gnome mage replied.

"Thank you Finan. I'll better leave now. I still pray that we can find her." He turned around and walked away.

Finan stayed and watched his old friend from the Kirin Tor leave until he was out of sight. Sitting down on a bench close by, he sighed heavily as he rubbed his face in deep stress from all of this.

"Hey Finan there you are." the old gnome heard the voice of his apprentice Kinar as she appeared from the other side of the room and walked over to him.

"Oh Kinar I thought you had left already."

"Not yet just, I don't know." the Worgen sighed sadly.

"You seem troubled."

With a nod she sadly sat down next to her and sighed sadly. "I don't want to go…"

"Pardon?"

"I just, Alura is like an older sister to me. She's done so much for me, so very much you wouldn't believe. She was always there for me and stood up for me when no one did. She accepted me for who I am while most would judge me and treat me like I'm some wild animal. I...I just can't leave, not like this, not while knowing she's out there and could need my help…"

"Well you have to Kinar. Alura is not here right now and leaving Stormwind isn't abandoning her. You're postponing your wedding right since the event? Kinar, the first thing I would do is to be the most transparent mentor I could be to you. And you've got to wait to whatever progress we could made. I ain't be stopping myself from looking. Give Alura a favor and don't let her rattle her senses by joining her somewhere in the world by not going, just go with the General in Darnassus, but you know what I mean."

Kinar looked and sounded to calm down and stop herself from crying her eyes out. Still the old gnome could tell she was still not all convinced on if she should leave or not.

"Eh Kinar, told ya, get yourself patched up by not crying and let me handle this okay?" The old gnome walked over to her with his small feet and patted her foreleg after he cant reach her back. "Come on, be a big girl. Beautiful as a human, beautiful as a worgen."

"If the roles were reversed, do you think Alura would've done the same?" she asked softly.

"Aye you know Alura is a smart girl. She'll knows that when she is not being helpful she'll let the people who are doing the work be trusted and let them be, ehm." Finan coughed purposely after he realized he was sounding rude. "But you know what I mean by that Kinar."

"I just, I just don't want to abandon her you know. I would never do that."

"Who said you are abandoning them? Did I say Alura will abandon you if the roles were reversed? No, I said Kinar, that you'll trust us, me, Thark, Fylrae, Quon, and the freakish orc and tauren. You'll trust us yes?"

That actually got the Druid to smile a little from that. "I'm sorry it just feels like if I leave, I be abandon her. But you sure I wouldn't be if I do go?"

"Yes Kinar, so that I could have more time in finding Alura than training you. Does that sound right?" He joked.

"In a way I guess. Still thank you for this I needed it. Please keep me up to tabs on Alura if you guys ever find her."

"Sure, I'll make sure I won't miss a schedule." he answered.

Standing up to kneel down to eye to eye level she gave the old Gnome a gentle hug before saying. "Thank you."

"Oh, wait, Finan, Thark gave this to you. He said it is something important, it is a letter, I didn't read it just in case. He said he'll meet you in the inn along with others." She said. "I'll have to go now Finan, thanks."

"Of course Kinar, you take care of yourself and don't let any of this get you. We'll find and take care of lLura." Finan rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright, time to go for me."

"Good luck." the Worgen spoke softly one last time before turning around to leave for a trip to Darnassus.

* * *

Farrah sat down on the rock in the middle of the swampy lake. The place was really indeed isolated that no humanoid life had step in here since Lazarus put her here to meet and protect his lover, her own sister in law. Even if he isn't her brother in blood, or even race as she a high elf and he was a human, she still saw him as the limelight of her experience about brotherhood, and she still didn't remove herself of that view.

The gray skinned high elf looked at her right when a splash of water touched her skin. She looked over to see her sister in law, the naga Erecia. It had been months, perhaps more than half a year that the naga would be her own companion, a mute one. The naga had to touch her before using her magic to talk to her. It was a marvel for her, such a rarity to experience mute's talking through magic, but the naga was muted rather than a mute as the large scar across her neck signifies that. The dark ranger noticed that the naga had been energetic since the past week, always hovering around the water in excitement. The naga had talked about her 'meeting someone made of love' as if she knows anything about what she said about meeting a person, but she didn't protest the naga's request about her coming.

"Erecia, you seem energetic. Is there anything that you want me to do?" The dark elf asked, her light red iris looking over her with seldom expression.

The naga nodded in her direction and grasp her wrist with her finned hand so that he could magically talk inside her thoughts. " _Come with me deep under water. I want you to meet someone inside the cave. Don't worry it won't last long and the cave is dry, safe from the water."_ The naga spoke.

"Meet someone?" the dark ranger question as she went into the water with her Naga sister. Since she was undead she need not fear the water as she used to when she was alive. "Alright, I guess I'll see through."

The Naga gently took her wrist and the dark ranger jumped down from the rock and dived down underwater with her. She could see that the base of the lake had a small hole, just big enough to swallow them as the naga lead her with her finned arm, her tail somewhat bothering her because of how it slap her cheeks from time to time, but the underwater tunnel began to slowly illuminate as the direction of the tunnel went from down to up, now swimming up to some surface.

And they did swam up to the surface. It was a large cave, there was some vegetation around, bushes and flowers surrounding the center of the cave. The ranger looked at the naga as she climbed to set her foot. Erecia now is standing with finned legs as she gently grip her wrist once again.

" _Come, I want you to meet someone."_ Erecia told her as she led the way once more. The ranger never minding her wet clothes or her hair. But she saw at the center was starting to make her brows raise. There it was a wooden tomb standing, she could see the lines of how big the hole was, it was no bigger than her fist. When they arrived at the center Erecia kneeled down and started to pat lines in the ground along with the tomb. She could see that Erecia was moving her mouth but it did not harbor words because of her disability, her eyes were expressed in ways she never had seen before, _motherly._ Her eyes shifted onto the wooden worn out tomb, and she could see two names in Darnassian, but she could understand it and translate it, _Akira/Talsen,_ It was odd, it meant that the grave was not for two but only for one.

" _We never did know of its gender…"_ Erecia spoke using her magic, her voice within the magic sounding deeply sad as she traced a webbed claw on the nameplate.

"Wait what do you…" the Dark Ranger stopped when she finally could put two to two together and see what this meant. Her eyes shifted back on the naga and saw how desperate she was as she dug her fingers to the ground, just trying to be close as possible to the grave before smothering her face with the soil, trying to experience what it feels like to hold a baby in her arms. An experience that was robbed from her.

 _"We Nagas never experience love or care, it's not in our nature, but I want to…."_ She dug her fingers once more on to the ground, feeling the soil that encased the small, undeveloped body of her child. " _I do this to myself, every year. This is the day when I lost it, when blood spurted from me, but then realizing it is not mine."_ She drove herself down, flattening her stomach against the disturbed soil to clutch the wooden tomb that bore the potential names. " _I never get to know it, whether or not it would be a daughter for me to pamper and for Eldon to guard as if she was a princess, or a son for me to take pride and for Eldon to train like as if he was a prince."_

Farrah was quiet, paying a moment of silence and her respects for her unborn niece or nephew that never got the chance to experience the first breath of life. Taking a knee to kneel down and press her hand on the grave that held the body of the child that belonged to her brother and sister in law.

"Does Eldon know of this?" the Dark Ranger asked softly.

The Naga nodded. " _I blamed him, for this, for everything when he was the one who started me to feel what care is. I lashed out on him, I cursed him because of my rage before leaving him. And then he came back. "_ She sniffled as she took out something out of the blue, it was a music box, the music box that lured her in to meet him once again. " _Then it came true, all my curses, my wishes for him about suffering, and being burdened came true and it did not help me feel anything at all other than more dread. And the first thing he said about me is that he came for me so that I can never be alone."_

Again the undead high elf was silent once more. Moving her hand from the grave to place softly on the Naga's shoulder.

"I have known him since we were children still in an orphanage. No matter what had happened or what he has become, Eldon will always forgive you." The ranger put an arm over her shoulder before pulling her close. "Let your child go, he or she will not be joyous to see you cry every year inside this cave."

Quietly she nodded softly and lets her webbed hands off the grave ever slightly. But then she didn't and clutched the grave once more. " _I tried, since it happened, and all it did was to destroy me. I'll never let go, even if I try. I'll not have the experience of what it feels like to be a good mother, and I won't find other mates, they're worthless animals, my kind, they cannibalize their own children if they want to."_

"They maybe, but you are not…..you're different from them….." the Dark Ranger pointed out as she looked back at the grave. "This grave that you have made to honor your unborn child and your love for Eldon is the proof of how you are different than them."

" _I just want to live, after throwing it away when I left Eldon due to my rage. Had I stayed with him, we would be something else. A family, moving on from death or tribulations, but no, I left him, the door left hanging wide open as I left him, leaving all my chances to have love, care, children, mate, and happiness."_

"That's not how Eldon still sees it."

" _But I don't."_

Farrah took her chin gently and guided her up to her face. "Yes you will, love? There is love here, not just only from Eldon, but also from me. If you loved my human brother then it is no surprise I will love you too. Eldon will find away also to let you know the beautiful experience of motherhood, I know you are destined to be. And that's coming from me, a woman who had no chances to experience that, but as long as there is a chance for you, then it will happen I guarantee it."

There was a short strong silence from those words but the Naga did not need to say anymore words as she hugged her sister in law with small tears from her eyes.

" _I'll hold truly."_


	50. Memories

Alura let the waters drown her. Her body so relaxed against the shower. Her lips curled to a smile as one of the few luxuries she can have were present here. It was a wonder how they can create and engineer a water system that is complex enough to create a shower in a former mine now crafted as a fortress. To everything else it is actually impressive to make it a fortress out of a mine, a well made one at that. But she puts all those thoughts to rest as her body and mind focused on the little kisses that the waters provided her. Pulling her to a deep state of relax, somewhat being longer in the bath than one should be.

Her arms wrapped around her bulging stomach, now big as ever as she arrived at her third trimester in her pregnancy. The tauren recently had checked upon her under the watchful eye of Larkon who was eagerly curling his fist just in case anything happened between the event. But all things had gone well and the tauren said he had seen the child's form. He said he could see a girl, a draenei girl, but unlike a draenei, she had bore feet, and no tendrils housed her neck, but bearing a tail and horns. It was really just like what she saw in her dreams, and she questions whether or not that is positive thing in her life or a nightmare.

Alura heard the door behind her opened, before slowly creaking to a close. Splashing steps comes nearing, but she ignored it and just let herself delve in delight upon the waters. Strong arms comes wrapping around her stomach, firmly yet softly, his chest flattening against her back as he kissed her shoulder. Now his chin rested upon her shoulders as the waters bathe the two lovers.

"We're so relaxed right now Alura, nothing to worry for the moment." He whispered.

"I know." She turned her head to look up to him and kiss him softly on the cheek as she rubbed his strong muscular hands on her bulging belly. "What do you think she'll grow up to be? A Priestess like me? Or Light forbid a warrior like her father, no offense."

He smiled and kissed the back of her head. "I don't know, but one thing I know she'll be something that I would be proud of….beautiful Alura, like you…" He told, putting himself tightly against her but gently.

Alura moved her hand to his cheeks, feeling his battle hardened skin against the soft hue of hers. She was somewhat put off for some reason, because whenever the thought of Theia growing up, there would always be the creeping doubt in her mind to question or not she be the one along with Larkon to raise her. "Larkon…..we'll….be the one to raise her right?"

"Of course, as a man it's my responsibility to raise his own new daughter. Give her the life I never had the chance to have." he spoke softly, turning his beloved around gently to kneel down to his knees and kiss her naked belly softly. "And before you say anything I will let you know I will find a way out of this place come hell and high water. But let us not dwell on that and like you said, enjoy this moment."

He felt a soft kick close to his face from within her tummy. He chuckled at the soft feeling of feeling his daughter's tiny kick. "We all get some nice moments, and I'll remember this." He commented before he mused. "And I had a dream once, truly about us."

"And what is it?" She asked, smiling, locking her hand on his cheeks. "Was it beautiful?"

"It's heavenly. I was in a bed, my mind was hazy, then it appeared a woman. At first I didn't recognize you in my dream, even after I ended, but I realized as time wore on it was you. You were there, naked with me, and Theia, still a baby cried in the crib, you picked her up to be with us in the bed, so beautiful, so small, so lovely like her mother." He said. "And that's how I remembered it. A perfect image for a family."

She smiled so softly and reach down to kiss his forehead softly. "I'm so deeply happy and thankful to have met you at that party Larkon…"

"And you Alura...you changed my life. I don't want to imagine what my life would be had I not met you. I would probably be dead when Moira punished me, but no, you were there to changed it all, for the good. You were there at my lowest and you will be there at my happiest." He got back up and kissed her neck. "Whatever happens here or there in the future, Theia will be happy, under your care especially."

"Under both our cares Larkon." she looked up and stood on the tip of her hooves to kiss him deeply and passionately lovingly in the lips. He in return returning the kiss with just equal amount of passion and love.

The human counterpart smiled and just do whatever he can, moving his hand down on the her soft but perky plump rear. Leaving a whelp from her. Their love shined so brightly as the waters touched their skin, leaving a mark that would rest upon as they relaxed, and messaged themselves to pleasure. They were no whelps, no true moans of passion and pleasure like what lovers would do in the bed at night for the sake of the safety of their child. It was true so, but they found a way to let their screams be controlled as guided passion instead of carnal came upon them.

* * *

Deep within his own makeshift throne room, Lazarus sat still almost quietly, dreaming in a deep sleep. Every now and then his head would turn here and there as voices from the past sang into his memories.

"Erecia." The voice echoed through the blue. He once found himself again at the turmoil of pure blight. Blood astride his shoulders and his face as he looked at her with great concern. If it wasn't for his powers as a paladin to save her she would have died. But now, those powers seemed to wane from the tips of his fingers forever. "Erecia."

"You'll face judgement by the Holy Light for this monstrosity Eldon, mark our words!" a human voice spoke.

Immediately he opened his eyes, breathing hard from remembering such a terrible experience from long ago.

"My lord?"

In an instant he launched a bolt of frost at the direction of the voice. Thankfully the Blood Elf Warlock was used to such experiences when his lord would randomly attack when he woke from his nap.

"What do you want Kreus?" lazarus asked, now calming down and laying back on his throne.

"There are rumours that the human is going to live through the whole phase of the pregnancy and have the assurance of safety circling around the fortress." Kreus recalled. "What does that mean?" He asked, his tone a bit tensed.

"They're rumours, but it doesn't lie. I offer them that they'll get to see their child and be named." The death knight answered, standing up and walking towards a stall of books. Hovering through.

"But that wasn't part of the plan." He said before letting the Death Knight recall his agreement with the warlock. "You said that you'll give me my revenge on my enemies. And that human is my enemy. I won't let him be having that fraction of luxury."

The death knight seemed not to care or interested as he picked a book from the shelves. "We didn't agree, the point still stands."

"That isn't my point either. None had beaten me in an even playing field. And I always get my last laugh. I maybe a shadow of the blood elf that I used to be, but I ensured that pride of that blood elf still stands. And we ought to remember that fact when I entered servitude." the elf stands in his assertion.

"It matters not. The child is what I want, she will be a gift to Erecia." The Death knight looked down on another book, a necronomicon. There was a pit of smile down on his face underneath his helmet as he saw the pentagram and a ghost standing over. "Kreus, what does it require to convert one to be a death knight, the flesh will be protected from decay and stench, and soul be still on their flesh."

"You either need the power of the Lich King, or you need the power of a banshee to bind your dead flesh to your living soul."

The Death Knight smirked. "Find me a banshee, make sure the banshee is a female."

"That would serve for the draenei I suppose? What is her raised up to be a lifeless yet sentient being be of use?"

"Let's just say I will give her mercy to spend all her years loving and caring for the child before deciding to step in a fire. Erecia is not selfish to share."

"And what of the human father?"

"Have your way with him whenever you please. You are permitted." Lazarus simply answered.

* * *

Fylrae was trekking closely through the forest, now almost near the mine. It had been a week since they started the journey, it was all confidential, it was and only between her, Finan, Thark, Quon, the Orc Urak and the young tauren shaman, and Quon they were the ones that she could trust knowing some experience about 'professional organizations' or 'government funded organizations', she wouldn't trust them. Her senses were in overdrive as her adrenaline surged through her body and enhanced her senses ten fold. Her mind collective memorizing what the old human said to her on the direction. An Old abandoned mine, the locals call it the dead mines because of some necromancers and other cultists had used it throughout the years.

Her primal self deep inside her woke up as she stopped her tracks. The others behind her stopped also. Her sense of smell worked on to the air. Though it was only slightly stronger than a human's, it was enough to sense something amiss up ahead near the rougher plains of Westfall mines. "Stop…" She called.

"Agreed." The young tauren seconded her. The female bull kneeled down and grabbed a handful of sand before closing her eyes, using her shamanic powers to whatever extent she could do with it. And familiarity kicks into her eyes and memory as the familiar patterns of nature magic had been in here recently. It was not of orcish, or any other than her own race. And with the pattern of the magic stepping through the sand she knows who this is. "He walked in her just recently, maybe a day or two. I could see the patterns of his shamanic aura beneath his hoof. He walked in this way, and walked through the plains somewhere." She pointed, her three fingered hands pointing in their point and through the distance. "He still doesn't know how to conceal his own aura." She remarked.

"Your older brother Serid?" the night elven huntress asked.

"Yes, though he like me followed the path of the Shaman, he devoted himself to the warlike aspects inherent in his abilities. He still possess a modicum of magical ability, but trained his body and reflexes to focus more on combat."

The dwarf finally throttled in to interrupt. "Aye come on let's git on!" He insisted as he walked towards the plains, but a large three fingered hand stopped him.

"Be patient. We are still secured." Serga said before Fylrae added.

"Not yet Thark. I have scouted the position here to confirm the old human's suspicions, and he was right. Daken guards the plains. And it took me hell and back to not be detected by his senses. We plan out chess move." She said.

"Aye!-"

"There is a reason that her people are called the children of the NIGHT, because the night is their companion. Their senses increased ten fold. We wait for the night to pass by before we make our decision. We have some time left I believe, because judging by the patterns, they are not in a hurry on anything." Urak mentioned.

As much as he hated it, the group had a point, especially the Orc. "Aye I have no choice. Never thought I take wisdom from a Orc." the old Dwarf sat down.

Finan stepped in and puts his arms up, creating a magical barrier like bubble around them in a twenty feet radius. "This will conceal us in the night, if what you said is true that there are cultists around, then it is easy to assume that cultists would probably lay down observer wards around us."

"Um if I may ask. I am not too familiar with Demon Hunters but can't they see magic thanks to their spectral sight?" the shaman asked.

"Lady, the purpose iiiiis to block detection. So I got that answered for you."

Since he didn't really have anything better to do, the dwarf decided to strike a conversation with the orc. Again something he never thought he would end up do to his role and experiences in the first war and second war. He had nothing against orcs or the Horde, it's just it felt a little ironic and somewhat odd to speak with one now after the life as a rifleman in the guard.

"Ey guys, I got chess. Let's play some." Finan said as he sat down with them, sprawling over his paper chess board and pours the pieces down. "The two are talking to each other, probably planning."

"Experiences from the past have ways of returning in the future in ways we cannot fathom." the Pandaren monk spoke as he started the game.

"Alright if I win you stop with these damn riddles." Finan marked.

Meanwhile, Thark was sitting from across from Urak.

"I'm am eager to meet Larkon once again and see the draenei he spoke so highly to me." Urak mentioned.

"Aye...ye both saved each other from the arena I take it?"

"Yup, a time, six months I guess I spend with him. We had some friends there, good girls, good girls. Larkon always mentioned about a draenei he had promised to. He said he owed her, and I went on with him to help him with that. After we parted ways, I knew the draenei would be someone that was more than a friend to him no matter how hard he denied it throughout our ordeal, and I never had been wrong in my predictions." The orc puts a branch on a fire, somewhat playing with it.

"Aye that be the lad alright. Even with this one and only good eye I got I could see it from the beginning. Though didn't expect them to end up having a child from it."

That earned a small chuckle from the Orc. "Something else I predicted as I told him I expected to see their child in the near or far future."

"Nevah predicted that me be happenin. Eh. What the heck, the lass' choice, and the lad's head on my wall after." The dwarf remarked.

That caused the Orc to laugh from that.

"Oi friends, want to play some chess?" Quon asked over, looking at the Gnome who was somewhat bombarded with disbelief that he lost in mere minutes. "We play friends, but first let me watch you two as the weird thing happened right before me, an orc is playing chess with a dwarf." He puts down the chess table and took out his notes.

With a nod the two made their way over to the chest game and sat from across one another as they started a game of chess.

"So ye be Frostwolf Aye?" Thark asked making the first move.

"My father was a Blademaster of the Burning Blade Clan. But he left when they chose a darker path. Met my mother who was of Frostwolf. So I am a Blademaster of the Frostwolf Clan." Urak answered examining the chess board carefully before making his next.

"Back in me experiences in the first war. Fought a Frostwolf Orc once, his own pet wolf clawed me left eye, thus be the reason why I be blind in that eye and for the eyepatch. Funny thing was that after that, I ended up meeting my wife who had a thing for one eye Dwarfs." He joked.

"Ah yes women. My mate had a thing for being dominate and...let's just say she is the first and only one I was never able to beat in a fist fight. I had reach but...she had flexibility." the orc also joked.

Fylrae watched them as they laughed. She see their bright smiles and she didn't have those smiles till they arrived in her tent asking help back in the blasted lands.

"How do you fare Fylrae?" asked Serga, her big frame standing over her before sitting down on to her next.

"I'm fine."

"Fine, hmmm that's usually the excuse every women says whenever they are not fine. I use it myself very often." Serga laughed.

Fylrae smiled and nodded to her joke. But then she looked down at the fire ahead, her lips were curled into a frown, but not in sadness but full of pondering. "I just wondered."

"Wonders, aah your people are so full of wonder. My people have been with your people for thousands of years. And what the great chieftains always say about your people is that the eldest of the children of night is no wiser than the nomads of the south, he compared to us." The tauren told.

"That's nice. No wonder I have known that I am five-hundred years old but I'm no smarter than a common human. Just more experienced." Fylrae added. "But that's not I wondered…"

"Did you think about a person?" She asked.

And the elf nodded.

"Was it a boy?"

The elf nodded again.

"A lover?"

Fylrae chuckled and shook her head. "No, I have no interest for relationships. Motherhood maybe, but mates, nah, I'm fine with children to be with, but not with intimate relationships for some reason. The closest that would be is the dwarf, and he seems like the person you would describe as a scary uncle." Fylrae added. "But, no. I just pondered about my brother."

"Is he the demon hunter I have heard much of?" the Shaman asked with a soft smile.

"Yes…"

"We are the same in that regards. Both of our brothers are there somewhere following a dark path."

"The last I saw of my brother before he became whatever he is now. Well the last time I saw my brother is when the last time he said that he'll be back. And that was fourteen years ago." Fylrae told, she didn't seem to cry nor emphasize any sadness, she was used to this.

"The last I saw of mine he came to me regarding a vision the elemental spirits showed him. He wanted my help to talk to our teacher in hopes of uniting the Horde and the Alliance. When I told him it could not be done at the current time, he left without a word. That was three years ago, and I have not seen or heard word from him since then, until now." Serga also said, like the night elf she too did not show any form of sadness.

In the meantime, the Orc and Dwarf continued their game of chess while speaking of talks of their past experiences.

"So you were a guard like him?" Urak asked the old Dwarf, placing his next chest piece to his next move.

"Aye I was a rifleman guard back in me days of Prime thirty two years ago. I be retired as ye could guess. You?"

"I serve within the Kor'kron and still do. But I'm just doing enough to see them grow up." He looked at Serga for reference.

"Aye I know ye feeling. Allot in common we have you and I." the old Dwarf sighed.

"Indeed, and Ironic in its own interesting way I would say." the Orc nodded.

* * *

Alura and Larkon stepped out from the fine shower. Rubbing themselves up out in a soft towel. They were refreshed, just like a spring flower, not a care in the world even at the face of the highest levels of danger. Right now everything is stacked against them. But the did not care and just went on to put on their clothes and hugged each other to enjoy their moment. The couple doesn't seem to concern what surrounded them and just focused on to themselves, as they hugged each other, letting their lips touch till the surface wets.

Larkon pulled away and went on to the corner to have some wine for himself and water for Alura. For some reason they gave them this for themselves alone to enjoy. Even though they brought them to this ordeal, he would still have heart to appreciate what they gave them for some pleasure.

He poured himself a glass of wine while he poured a glass of water for Alura. "Here Alura, let's enjoy. Forget everything else, let's just enjoy."

"Of course." she smiled happily, accepting the cup of water he gave her as she sat on a very comfortable seat. She had to admit, even though she was their prisoner, they seemed to be taking a great deal of consideration in keeping her comfortable to the point of just enjoying things.

"We get up from this. And we pray that we-" The door suddenly bursted. It caught both of them off guard as cultists suddenly flooded in on to subdue the human and Alura. The draenei was screaming in shock as the cultist pinned Larkon's head down on to the floor, confused to what is happening. His face narrowed down in anger.

Other cultists also bursted in when Alura tried to help Larkon, holding her arms down as she screamed and kicked with her hooves, trashing. "What are you doing?! Let us go you monsters!"

"Shut your mouth fine ass bitch." One of the cultists covered her mouth as Alura struggled even more, her body moving up and down trying to tug away from their grips to no avail. Her screams can still be heard loudly even through the cover as her eyes bursted in fear and concern when the cultist squeezed Larkon's head down on to the floor, causing him to scream in pain.

Kreus comes in to control the situation, his smile bearing absolute malevolence to it. As he watched their struggles, the covered screams of the draenei was music to his ears just like a the screams of his rival was like a piano to him. "Aaah, sweet victory." He commented.

Serid comes in to calm the situation, somewhat attempting to make it bearable for the couple. "Kreus, the draenei is in her third trimester. Your cultist are not helping her. At this point this is the moment when the chances of miscarriage is at its highest! Stop-"

"Shut your mouth you humanoid bull." Kreus angrily cuts off.

"I always expected you to be of subtilty." the cultists, Warlock, and Tauren heard the dark echoing voice of the Death Knight echo into the room. Making his presence known as the air within the room soon became cold enough to cause their breaths to be fogged.

The Blood Elf immediately changed his tone and got back on one knee to kneel to the Death Knight. "I…"

"If the child dies from miscarriage caused by the shock of your mistreatment of the Draenei I will personally rip the heart out of your pathetic body." The Death Knight warned with a more darker tone than usual. Looking over to the Cultist that called Alura a "Fine ass bitch," he makes a ball of frost unto his hand and hurled it over to the other cultist, shattering the ball of frost unto his face and knocked him out unconscious.

Lazarus looks over to his female cultist, his most trusted one. "Give these fools treatment, just enough to make them heal." He ordered as he pointed out at the unconscious cultists.

"As you wish my lord." She bowed as she picked them up and drag him away.

With the Cultists now gone and out of his sight he turned his attention back to the now once again frighten Warlock. "Do we have a deal Kreus?" he threatened now after making his point very clear to the Warlock. "Good, take him away and the blood elf will lead on what he needs for the human." He said as they left out, dragging Larkon away after knocking him out with a swift hit on the back of his head, leaving Alura to ponder what just happened as she looked at the death knight with narrowed eyes while the rest left to leave the two alone.

Her eyes no longer having any doubts. "You are a monster."

He chuckled. "Identifying what is monstrosity and what is humanity is subjective my dear. You may view me as a monster, but you will see it differently in my own lens." He said as he began to take a step forward to move away.

"Then show me your memories! You are a monster no matter how you turn it!" She shouted.

He smiled and kneeled down onto the draenei, leaving that smile hidden under his mask. "Sure, I'll bite priestess. I'll let you see my memories." he offered his hand to her.

Alura didn't have any double thoughts as she grabbed his hand and closed her eyes to see his memory.

"Erecia!" Alura turned around to hear the desperate voice. She saw herself floating above the ocean in an ethereal form as she observed what was happening down below at the shore. It was a human man, with a feminine humanoid creature, she has the skin of a sea serpent but had digitigrade legs. She was laying in the sand, groaning in pain as he puts weight on her chest.

Alura noticed the bloat in her stomach, similar to hers, but less pronounced. There was blood between her legs, a lot of blood, enough to cover the front of her as the man desperately tried to do everything to save her. "Come on! Come on! Don't sleep Erecia!" He pleaded with gritted teeth.

The priestess had suspected the worse. It was a miscarriage, a premature birth. That's what she observed as the feminine creature pulled through the ordeal and delivered the undeveloped baby. It was too young, too small to live, and it was not even set would the baby be a girl or a boy.

Alura heard her hiss in threat as she grabbed the baby from the warm hands of the human father, and using the powers of a sea creature to heal herself.

"Erecia!" He tried to come for her, but a quick slash to his face stopped him in his tracks before a now transformed tail puts him onto his rear.

The Naga hissed in hostility as she cradled the dead child close to her, looking at the human man with grudging eyes before leaving on to the depths of the water.

Alura was shaken to what she had witnessed. It was every mother's nightmare that she didn't want to live in, and whatever that sea humanoid creature had to go through, had experienced the nightmare of a soon to be mother like her, like Alura.

The memories changed, the imagery changed entirely. Now she finds herself in what appears to be the Frozen wastelands of Northrend. There she saw the same human, the one who was the mate of the naga. Badly beaten and hurt to the point of near death as members of the Silver Hand surrounded him. His image has changed, he had bore white hair, his face now wrinkled. It is clear that this is the same man, but now far past his prime.

"This has been a long time coming Eldon." one spoke.

"You like a idiot think there's a world to save by bringing everyone into union." another spoke.

"But you don't realize there is no world anymore. And that these false hopes of making peace with these barbaric creatures like the Horde, the Naga, and all the others just won't work, ever." the third spoke.

"And that there is no place for people like you in it." the fourth spoke before finally kicking Eldon to fall to his death in a almost dark frozen area, his image slowly disappearing into the dark until he was far from sight.

Yet that was not the end of the nightmare memories. For the moment the elder Eldon had vanished into the cold dark deep, the imagery changed. For now she found herself atop of a large and floating Scourge Necropolis. Her eyes were confused and horrified at the same time, ever moving around to see where she is. Alura then looked at the distance and saw the familiar figure, the same man in her visions, or what was left of him. Now transformed into the horrific nightmarish undead with the same terrifying face, deathly blue glowing eyes, and razor sharp fanged teeth that haunted her deepest darkest nightmares, kneeling before the Lich King amongst the other sea of Death Knights.

"All that I am: anger, cruelty, vengeance - I bestow upon you, my chosen knights. I have granted you immortality so that you may herald in a new, dark age for the Scourge." she heard the Dark echoes of the Lich King's voice speak to the new Death Knights with one now known as Lazarus.

He remained unto his knees as he listened to the trembling voice of the Lich King, his stature was firm as the god of Death granted his blessings among the death knight to wreak havoc upon the living. Yet in his hand she could notice a small item, a music box covered in corals, held firmly yet gently in his palms.

Alura released her grip the the memory ended. That's how it all happened to him. It was not horrifying, it was not scarey or nightmare inducing. It is just…...sad. She didn't want to sympathize with him, but she now knows, that he had it worse than her.

"I'm glad you didn't squeal priestess. Now if you please, I will proceed to my sanctuary on the other side." He stood up and bowed.

"Please spare Larkon. Please, don't let my baby lose a father, or me lose a lover."

"That wouldn't be in my decision for him to live or die priestess." He said as he walked away.

Alura stayed there, watching the the fiend walk away. Her eyes were widened as she realize what might become of her. She doesn't know what he would do to her, to Larkon and to the baby. Perhaps he just want them to experience what he experienced, but yet it was enough to drive her down to the depths of sadness as she clutched her stomach, covering her mouth as she began to whimper. Her eyes once driven to tears.


	51. Invasion

Down the line Serid looked over at the closed door for the last several hours. There he knew somewhere that the draenei slept in anguish as Kreus took Larkon. The tauren slowly trekked towards the closed door and peered it open to see what she was doing. There he saw her sitting on the chair, in the middle of the room. He could see the dry lines of the tears that had slides down on her cheeks. Her expression was obvious, it bore pure rage in her heart after weeping. That is the only thing that remained in for her.

The draenei clutched her full stomach as she sat in a chair, looking at the direction where Serid was. Her brows so narrowed down as her face were contorted with an angry expression.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, her tone would echo the rage inside of her.

The Tauren was silent for a moment. He knew no matter what words he would say it wouldn't change her expression. She had every right to be enraged by the actions of the Blood Elf. Nevertheless he knew he had to do something to help her otherwise she could risk hurting herself and her unborn child.

"I was just trying to see if you are hanging through."

"Better if I just die, I'll be murdered anyway."

He was silent another moment. Choosing his words wisely now that he sees she's close to the limit to how much she could put up from all of what has been done to her. He looked down on the draenei, just trying to look at her features and what she looks now. Trying to pry her eyes to look at him.

"The death knight is giving you a choice once more to have the chance to truly raise the child." He said.

She smiled, but it wasn't a happy smile. It mocked the essence of happiness. "Like a walking corpse would do for me?" She said.

'

"No, he'll let you live by letting your soul live in your flesh, like he is….." He revealed.

"What?"

"He has been taking consideration a number of things. One of them being your resurrection in the form of another Death Knight like him. But you wouldn't be made to serve or fight. You would be resurrected and granted the immortality to help raise your child as you strongly desire."

"Are you making a monster out of me? Do you really think that I would let my soul be corrupted? Get out of my sight you monsters!" She shouted and began to pick up pillows and hurled it over to the tauren, fiends she thought of them or demons for that matter. They go so low to let herself be down on them, to be corrupted and just be used as a stepping stone for them in a bigger event. That was what she thought of them, nothing but monsters for their own ideals and plans. They are willing to let mothers die, so that they could have the child, or fathers die because of some vengeance, and to her, only monsters would do that, and they did it and now that is what she saw of them or had been seeing for that matter. "Get out! Leave me be! Just disappear! I don't want your offer! I want my child and I want Larkon and I to just raise her in peace! Get out and leave me be till I die!" She hurled even when the Tauren was already out from the room with a closed door.

Alura took a moment to calm. She took back her thoughts in realization of the danger of her outburst in a pregnancy. "Calm….calm Alura, relax. Don't think of any, for Theia….for Theia….." Sounding calm now. "Be strong…..be strong, don't let emotions take you over." She said as she began to kneel down and pray.

It had been quite sometime, she almost forgot her own spirituality. But at least she has the time alone to further it again. To reconnect. "Pray, pray for strength that I'll be safe, and Larkon is safe."

* * *

He knew this Blood Elf had some personal issues to deal with regarding him. It was only a matter of time as he had been thinking all these months being forced to stay in this place with his family. He was back again in a cell, again and again in his life he always ends up in a cell for some reason. Looking at the Blood elf who was experimenting on something which didn't care about. Oh how he hated him. He probably is the number one reason why he is in this predicament, that Alura had to endure. As being growing to be a father in the future he already puts responsibility as a number one priority for Alura and Theia. He's willing to kill himself or die trying to save them.

"What do you want?" Larkon asked in the cell.

"Killing you of course. I always get the last laugh." Kreus said. "Do you know what both of you remind me of? A certain blood elf and a certain human comes to my mind, because of them having to go through trials and many things that endanger life. Somewhat like a cliche story would say don't you think? A damsel in distress and her handsome knight. And I'm not emphasizing that you are handsome either. I just usually tell this to children and to her, the draenei when was imprisoned, back when I hadn't met you."

"Yeah so I've heard…"

"One other thing, while you die, she'll get to live. She may die first but she'll wake up again." He revealed.

"What are you talking about you idiot? We're not going to be a walking corpse for them fools." He replied.

"Nope, just a death knight, not truly a death knight but living like a death knight, can eat, can sleep, but just not alive technically. We readied a banshee that would lock her soul down and imbed it to her body again. There, decay stops, she won't smell, her flesh will be just as she were when she was alive before the ritual takes place, and of course that would take place after she had given birth and you dead, so that she would get the chance to fully take care of the little parasite, the death knight said his naga won't be afraid to share as a mother." He chuckled while he told.

That made the human chuckled at those words.

"What's so damn funny human?"

"You, typical blood elf and your self centered nonsense ways thinking your all this and that. What makes you think I'm some knight in shining armor. My life was hell with struggles and still is even now me and Alura are family now. What would know anything about struggle?"

Kreus chuckled, somewhat eerily. "Struggle? I know more struggle than you ever know. The Sunwell, Silvermoon, Arthas, all those events I know of. I know what you know, you know what I don't know. Seems very arrogant to me that you assume always to others that you know struggle than everyone else." he sighed before continuing. "And all of that forced me to aide a Pit Lord in some grand scheme only for him to backstab me when he was finished. Forcing me to watch all those I care for suffer like animals!" Then he suddenly composed himself and lets out a chuckle. "Pretty sad isn't it, but it's not to me anymore. I am more realistic than people around here, I know this isn't a fantasy story that needed a princess to help me. I help myself because I know so." He said.

"Then why do you need some Death Knight for help?"

"Hahahaha, humans and their ignorance. Your people always have a knack to say 'help yourself' but I my people knows when I need help, just like this situation. It isn't arrogant and I'm not an arrogant man." He said as he finally inspects a sharpened knife on close to his face to inspect.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking my tools to see which is best to cut that skin of yours." The blood elf put it bluntly. "Been studying human anatomy for quite some time, to why the body structure is different to elves and why it is usually bigger and stronger. But lately durable against injuries but quite docile in regeneration, it's common knowledge that elves regenerate quite faster than humans do and are much more resistant to diseases."

"I don't know what are you planning and by the sound of which I don't understand I don't like it."

Kreus chuckled. "Of course, there is a limit to knowledge of all races, but their is infinity to ignorance. I say this simply that I will cut you up like a butcher would do to his beef and lambs to inspect you. That way education for everyone.." He smirked, his lips curled so upward that it was horrible to even look at. "That way, you die."

Larkon frowned, somewhat disgusted to the way he deludes himself. His voice was so arrogant, so full of pride that it hurts the human's ear every time the warlock speak. "You're delusional you know that?" He simply said.

The blood elf scratched his chin and smiled. "Not as delusional as you are." He said as he approached the human who was chained inside the prison, looking at him deeply in the eyes with green glowing eyes. "I think you must have heard this from myself before." He muttered and smiled. "What can a person like you would do for a maiden like her?"

"Not much, but I-"

"Well after you die different scenarios could play. If some miracle happen she would survive, but you die of course and gets rescued by some party. Then she gets to go home and live happily and sadly." The elf probed. The human wasn't sure what the warlock was coming into.

"At least she lives and gets to be happy with Theia, that's all it matters." He answered, looking at the blood elf, hanging his elbow on the bar, knowing he is safe from the stronger man's clutches knowing he is in chains inside his prison.

He slapped Larkon's head through the bars. It didn't bother the human in anyway but he did feel some anger. "Well that's not the only scenario that would happen now would it?

Larkon sneered. "What are you talking about?"

"Human, look at her." He made a life sized image of Alura once more with his fel. "Do you think a person like her wouldn't be hard pressed on being courted by someone else while you are out of the way? You're a human, she's a draenei. You should know sooner or later someone else would replace-" He immediately retracted away when Larkon suddenly jumped in, but the chains kept him at bay.

"You son of a bi-"

"Likewise, sooner or later you'll be just a fading memories in the millenias to come to her life." He said, looking down on the angered human warrior. "While she moved on, your presence to her would be just an itch at the back of her consciousness while she with an another man, probably, sooner or later, pregnant with the man's child." Oh does Kreseus' word hit so much pain in him.

Larkon jumped so strongly towards the warlock on the other side of the cage that the chains that bound his arms on the wall tore some of his skin. It didn't hurt nor did he care. His teeth were grit, his eyes was so narrowed down onto the blood elf with great anger. Looking at him with predatory eyes. But like he was the blood elf didn't falter and looked back at him also with his own predatory eyes, kneeling down, face to face with the human in chains. The air seemed to dull against the tension between them. It changed the atmosphere because of their great tension between one another. The warlock was eager to meet his gaze, as if telling the human warrior that he was not afraid himself.

"I have nothing to lose." He told Larkon before standing straight up and walked away from the room to leave the human pondering to himself with his unrelenting anger.

* * *

Fylrae crouched down on the rocks. Her eyes looking over to the other side of the hill, cautiously knowing that her brother is there looking down onto the plains to see if anyone is hiding around. She just wondered how he can still be awake even with his demonic transitions because of what twisted magics he had to face. But it doesn't matter for her, he would be her second priority. She promised herself that she would bring her brother back, back to what he was once, a brother that she wanted to look ahead to. But right now that is not the case, her mission is to help Alura, whether they can confirm that Alura is here and alive. Larkon on the other hand is what she doesn't know. She is hoping that Larkon is with Alura, if the two are truly alive.

Fylrae looked back at the group, hiding under the bushes. She had to take lead because of her people's natural affinity to stealth. And being stealthy is what she does best. Her eyes bore down on them, lifting her hand and put her index finger in front of her nose to tell them to stay quiet. Then back out in front of her, in the wilted grass plains. Kuura stealthily caught up with her, crouching down like her.

"Kuura, you go ahead, scout what is ahead near the cave entrance. Nodd to me twice if there is there is someone guarding or looking." She ordered in her native language, and with that her white furred feline companion swiftly yet quietly runs ahead.

Fylrae looked back to her companions, weaving her head forward indicating they can quietly crawl now through the wilted grass like her to step up forward and see what they could plan crawled, but it took sometime, not having the prowess and the slenderness of an elf's body really hindered their movement, but it didn't matter, they weren't detected just as Kuura as she runs down towards them, shaking her head, indicating a no for them to start.

"So anyone got a plan on how we're going to get past that Demon Hunter? Because I've been doing some observation myself and that night elf hadn't blinked the entire night…" Finan asked.

Fylrae pointed up, motioning her hand over meaning that the elven demon hunter was on the other side of the hill. "Just be quiet, it's morning, our senses in the day isn't as strong as the night but we have to be careful and quiet." She instructed, motioning her to follow down. It seems that the entrance is still far away from the field, and they have to crawl down against the withered field for cover and concealment.

"What do we expect to be in this cave other than the Demon Hunter and Serid?" Urak asked quietly to the night elf, keeping very low down on the field like the others.

"Other than Twilight Cultists. Larkon be mentioning some Blood Elf Warlock." Thark answered.

"Alright so we have cultists and a Warlock to deal with, as well as a Demon Hunter and my stepson Serid who take in mind everyone is a formidable opponent in his own right." the Orc warned.

"So how do we get past the guards?" Finan asked, which got everyone in the group to turn and look towards him with smirks. Something the Gnome immediately figured out what they were planning. "Ahhh shit…."

Back with the cultists standing guard, they found themselves slowly falling to the sleep they were deprived of. Lazarus had them guard all night the last night. After his display of rage with the Cultists that failed to protect the Draenei back at Booty Bay, none of them wanted to disobey him. Especially when he had his secrete Demon Hunter being the eyes and ears for him.

"Pardon me young friends!" the cultists heard an old Gnome call out to them. "You fine young men happen to look like to be in need of some of my special potions!" Finan scoured over to his bag and looked at what he could get. "Here! This is my specialty, for those who doesn't know how to get women-"

The cultists heavy eyes were starting to get in their heads. They were not thinking clearly as they just wondered what the gnome was offering. Absolutely forgetting what they were assigned for. One the cultist took everything the gnome offered and hand it out on to his fellow guards. Because of their hazy state they forgot they were doing in the first place. Quickly gulping down the potions.

"Alright people that'll be one gold per bottle."

"Let us test this product first before we-" the Orc cultist guard's eyes widen as he felt an intense pain in his stomach, crashing his head down against the hard rock floor banged unconscious.

"Yo mon I be not feeling good…" a troll cultist spoke feeling the same intense pain and the same resulted to him, putting himself to sleep with his head on the floor.

Urak and the others arrived, the orc all too eager to enter. "Come, lets-"

Finan suddenly shushed him. "SHHHHHH!" Before holding his hands up, letting his eyes glow as his hands glowed like his eyes. *pruck *pruck * pruck * pruck, one by one observer wards and revelation wards were exploding at the ceiling of the cave. "Observer wards, I sensed it. But I think we made enough time to destroy it before anyone is truly alerted." The gnome hypothesized. "Move on who got a strong sense of smell, meaning the cat. She probably knows where Alura is if she is inside because she must have smelled her."

"In that case does anyone have a belonging of the Draenei?" Urak asked all of a sudden.

Everyone looked at each other for a moment before the Dwarf handed the Orc what was a Alura's dress that Thark made for her a long time ago. "I bring this along, figured she be needin it once we be makin our way out."

Taking the dress quickly, the Orc called over to his armored frostwolf and had him sniff the dress. To become familiar with the Draenei's scent. "Kalib, assist the Sabercat in finding the Draenei." Urak commanded.

The two huddle with each other, sniffing the floor and walking at a steady pace. Judging from the mountainside of the unused mine this would be a long walk for them unless they can find Alura much easier.

Finan glowed his eyes once again, as if looking beyond the walls of the cave. "Everyone I can see two very strong magical energies emitting in each other, one is that of a death knight and one is what I could say an S class grade Warlock. We best to avoid them-and wait, wait, wait, faint energy, it's something from a Paladin or a priest! It must be Alura!" the gnome alerted, puffing off his magical eyes and back to his normal ones as he informed them, looking over at the left to where he saw Alura's energies.

"How far away?" Flyrae asked.

"Not that far, we could probably reach her if we sprint, but unless we risk getting caught. So what is it going to be?" The gnome asked. Always ahead in terms of planning.

Thark then moved forward. "We sprint, sooner or later we be gettin caught out, so might as well have a head start." He said.

Both the Orc and Night elf made a quick whistle, commanding their respective hunting pets to lead forward in a fast sprint. Taking point and leading the group fast and hard as they tried keeping up with the two fast beasts.

"Damn those things can run fast!" Finan complained having a hard time catching up because of his tiny legs and old age.

"Run fast not the one who has participated in running a hundred time. But the one who has ran for fun a thousand times." Quon spoke once more as he seemed to have no trouble catching up despite his size and weight.

"Damnit what did I say about-"

Finan stopped. He seemed to be looking around, feeling a sense of urgency when he noticed the walls were littered with magical orbs. He wasn't sure why whether or not they were wards or not. They probably would have noticed them by now and is running them down. "Wait guys, stop." He told them, stopping them in his tracks. Channeling up his powers to see what these orbs are because just to make sure it is safe for them beyond this point in the cave. "Alright, let's see what they were." He took a three step back, now being behind his companions, facing the ceiling of the walls where the magical orbs were. "Flashing flaming yellow…." He spoke. Then it hit him, about the color, flaming yellow. "Explosive wards!" He screamed in panic, trying to run towards them but it was already too late

BOOM!

The cave rattled, feeling the thunder of the explosion reeling and reverberating throughout the navigation. Rocks crashed down on the floor, blocking the gnome and his fellow companions who were fortunately uninjured from the ordeal just like him. "Finan! Finan! Are you alright?" Fylrae peeked through the cracks of the blockage, trying to push the rocks out with her feeble strength, but it was not going to happen.

The gnome coughed, but he was fine without injuries taking him in, looking over to answer. "Yes, yes, I'm alright." He assured, taking a step back to channel his powers and give off a fireball to attempt and destroy the blockage. "Damn it! This won't budge! Guys, you have to go without me, I'll stay here and think of ways to destroy this blockade for you to escape. Go! I can handle myself in this place!"

Fylrae nodded towards her friends, knowing they heard the gnome. "Alright, we'll go forward, good luck Finan. I still need some gifts from your ex-wife." She sprint towards the group.

"Yeah I know I still got some gifts coming from her." He sighed, dusting himself from dirt and other stuff off his robes. Knowing that the explosion already alerted the others in their position, hoping that they had the time to let them get away. Then, it all slowed down, like as if time slowed down for him when he sensed a ball of energy come flying by on his shoulder.

He suddenly encased himself in ice.

BOOM!

The ball exploded.

"Well now, it seems we have intruders…" the Gnome heard would sounded like the voice of a Goblin close by.

Within moments the area lights up with lights and torches, revealing an enormous Goblin made laboratory. Several mechanical flying clockwork machines working around to piece together some strange looking artifact displayed in a floating magical arcane orb.

Finan landed harshly on the floor, breaking the ice the was encased in but he was unharmed and stood up immediately.

A sudden movement caught the old gnome's eyes. Out of the shadows a Goblin with a robotic rig on his back with additional limbs that allowed him walk on walls and vertical surfaces.

"However, since I have such a fascination for knowledge, perhaps you can be some use to me as I wait for Lazarus' promise for infinite knowledge." The goblin spoke.

Finan casts mirror image to create three arcane copies of himself. "Ahh damn it. Not a Goblin…"

* * *

"Think he will be okay by himself?" Serga softly asked, concerned for the old gnome.

"Aye he be a hard bastard that little twat. He survived all three wars and me misadventures. Old Finan can take whatever this place has to throw at him." Thark answered.

"Beware the shadows of the unknown that the sight cannot see around." Quon spoke, stopping in his tracks with a serious look on his face.

"Forgive me Pandaren but we have no time for another of these riddles. Besides, what could be such an issue with a little darkness." Urak asked.

"No, just go! I'll stay down here." Quon said, his head and body moving around, looking around the surrounding walls of the cave, trying to see what his senses are telling him. It screamed for him to look up, look behind, look in front, never minding the pleads to his fellow companions.

It maybe that someone was looking at them from the shadows, and he always knows better than to let the ones who hid in the shadows, stay in the shadows. Knowing whatever is out there would wait and pounce them who were too busy dealing with something else, and he isn't going to let that happen acknowledging that they have little margin for errors. It is a risk he had to take by staying in the room, letting his hands go against the stealthy opponent. "Go! Now!" Quon urged them. For the first time he seemed serious with his words.

Seeing as there wasn't any point in arguing and surprised to hear him speak serious for once. The group decided to move on without the Pandaren, knowing the Monk had very good reasons for his sudden change of behavior and request. When it was now just the Pandaren and the stalker in the shadows, he heard the voice of the one who kept watch.

"So ya wanta be fightin in me own turf ay monk? That old dwarf not be the first time we crossed paths but I best be thinkin ya for gettin dem out. Not be fair for little ol me." Quon heard the voice of the Troll rogue speak to him from the shadows of his surroundings.

Quon then sat down, closing his eyes while his feet locked together in meditation. Relaxing his body and mind as he calmly and patiently waited for the Troll to make the first move.

The panda narrowed his hands as fast as lightning when he deflected a dagger that flew from the shadows. His focused so enhanced that it can hear the flaps of the butterflies inside the cave and the footsteps that the ants would make. "Now you are endangered!" The panda announced, letting the Troll no he is more than ready to fight in the shadows.

"We be seeing about dat mon…" he heard a dark chuckle echo across the darkness. Yet despite his experience and powerful focus. He could not trace where the Troll was hiding let alone hear any of the Rogue's movements. He knew this Rogue was not to underestimate, especially in his own advantage where his skills are at their pinnacle.

* * *

"Kuura, how close are we to Alura?" Flyrae asked, she was now riding her vicious warsaber with Thark riding behind her while Urak did the same with his Armored Frostwolf with Serga also riding behind him.

The two creatures rushed as fast as their pinnacle abilities would allow them. Until suddenly, Urak's Frostwolf, Kalib stopped. The Orc was about to question why his companion stopped until he looked at the direction the Wolf was growling towards which brought fire in his eyes and a serious look as well.

"Damnit Orc what be the issue with ye wolf now?" Thark demanded.

"Continue on." Urak simply spoke.

"But Urak…" Flyrae pleated.

"I have my own battles to fight in this place. I will distract them as you make your escape with the Draenei." the Orc spoke.

"But…"

"We must follow this path. It is for what is best for your friend." Serga answered calmly.

Hesitant, the Night Elf whistled for her warsaber to continue on.

With them out of sight, Urak hopped off of Kalib and petted the wolf gently. "Is he there, behind that door."

When the frostwolf only growled in response, the Orc nodded and marched over to the door to open it.

There he found himself in a large almost giant room of some sort. It looked to be more of a library of some sorts. To his shock and surprise, there at a distance, he finally saw his stepson Serid. Speaking to a Death Knight like figure who was reading a book.

Balling his hand into a hard fist his shock and disbelief soon vanished in the form of a demand for answers for all of this. "Serid!"

The Tauren next to the Death Knight was shocked to hear a voice he did not believe he would ever hear again. "Impossible…"

"And who is this Serid?" The tauren heard the Death Knight's dark echoing voice ask of him. Not even bothering to turn and look at the new intruder as the Death Knight focused more on reading his book. Yet the tone of Lazarus' voice told the tauren he sounded irritated as it's more darker slightly angrier tone sent a chill down Serid's spine.

"Someone I know."

"Well deal with-" Lazarus suddenly jumps out of the way as Serga burst through the nearby door next to them, using her bigger frame to crush through the door, almost catching Serid and the death knight, but their swift senses made them dodge the charge from the tauren.

Lazarus looked at the distance as he landed, putting his chances on to the Tauren. "Deal with it Serid!" He warned as he realized that they were dangerously close to the draenei. Swiftly removing himself from the scene to pursue after the remaining culprits who bursted in his fortress. He already knew from the start that they were here since the wards were destroyed, but he never thought they would be able to fight through his elites, it disappointed him greatly.

"I will!" Serid assured.

With the Death Knight now out of the room. Male Tauren was now left in the room with his younger sister and his adopted father.

"What have you done here?" Urak demanded.

"I will defend my homeland against the Legion! And Lord Lazarus will help us!" Serid explained in a military like response, clearly showing his discipline where he once trained with the orcish horde. "The Legion will return! We will not survive their slaughter. But Lazarus will make us ready. And I will be prepared to fight them!"

"You are speaking great nonsense!" Urak roared, he roared like what a father would truly do to his son.

"Serid, brother please don't walk this path. Thrall warned you of the consequences of the actions of this road you walk." his younger sister, the more reasonable of the three tried to calmly persuade.

"Look around you Serga. I tried and begged our master to unite the Horde and the Alliance to stand against the approaching Legion. But as always neither side wish to cooperate. Their refusal to let go of their petty differences will be the end of Azeroth. I will not stand by as the Legion burn our world. The Elements have showed me this vision and if neither side are willing to cooperate. Then Lord Lazarus will make them as they submit to his rule!"

Urak then pointed his sword on the young tauren. "Don't do this son. I don't know what visions the elements have shown you but this not the way to bring peace to both factions!" He threatened, but his threat did not harbor the threat of death.

"The elements would not have been aiding us if they were not sure of such measures. If they were not sure of Lazarus. The Burning Legion are coming and as of right now Lazarus is the only one who can become powerful enough to unite the races to stop them. He must succeed with his plan at all costs."

"Then so be it." turning his sword to point to the ground and stick it there, the orc began taking pieces of his armor plates off. "You leave me no choice. If this is the path you wish to walk. Then by the laws of our Warchief Thrall. I challenge you, to Mak'gora!"

This sudden challenge from their stepfather, both Tauren siblings were deeply shock and surprised. Though under Thrall's new rules, Mak'gora can be non-lethal combat, similar to Warsong's Mak'Rogahn. Still, the older tauren needed to go aide his lord in the defense of the Draenei priestess.

"I have no time for this!" Serid tried to get away, but Serga cut him in place, summoning a rock formation in every door and window that she could find. Trapping her older brother with her and their viciously enraged orcish father.

"I will not let the Legion destroy our home. And if this is what will get you to see reason. Then I accept!" Serid responded, tearing his armor off and tossing his weapon aside.

"Make that delusions count Serid!"


End file.
